A Vampire's Kill
by Atem no koibito
Summary: After his death by Atem's hands, Yugi expected to see a world filled with bloodshed and chaos. However, nothing was as he expected. A King on the edge of insanity. A friendship on the verge of collapsing. Regret, guilt, and secrets hidden and locked away like none ever before. Before long it came the time for Yugi to decide. Who would he fight for? The humans? Or the vampires? AU
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everyone! Happy upcoming Halloween. Does everyone have their spooks on? I know I sure- who am I kidding, I can't even scare a fly. -_-**

 **Anyways, hey! A new story! It isn't really old though. This story (the first three chapters) are actually from three different years. My old readers would remember my Halloween series, right? Well, the first three chapters are from then. I have done some editing, so, yeah. And since I took them down, I decided to put the three back up, and turn it into a fanfic! So no, they are not separate anymore. They are together, and will have a plot because the title is different! So, I hope you all like this idea of mine.**

 **Enjoy!**

 _ **2012: October 31**_ _ **st**_

 _ **2013: Return of the Vampires**_

 _ **2014: Massacre**_

 _ **(These are the three titles of the previous years. October 31 is going to be this chapter, Return of the Vampires will be next chapter, and chapter three will be Massacre, and we shall continue from there in A Vampire's Kill)**_

* * *

A Vampire's Kill

Chapter 1

* * *

A blazing bonfire cackled and sparked within the thick woods. Shadows danced against the rough bark as the howling wind picked up speed. The trees swayed, brushing branches as if they were giving a friendly greeting before returning for another- one even harder than before. Thunder too clapped loudly in the sky that hearts jumped for a split second before resuming activity as normal. However, these hearts were long dead, only being pumped due to reasons still not understood by humans.

Surrounding this surge of light stood three figures, each alerted by the lightening that snapped them out of the trance-like state they were drowning in. As the sky returned to its dark nature, the haunting eyes of these three beings illuminated and locked on each other. Smirks crept its way on to their faces, and with a blink, they were gone.

At inhuman speeds they swerved through the trees, their black jackets dancing in the wind as they ran. Twigs and leaves snapped under their boots, and as they passed under the light of the moon, their already pale skin seemed to become as white as paper.

In moments they neared the edge of the woods. This was evident, for the dead silence that surrounded them were filled with childish laughter and banter, creaks of doors and the sound of footsteps pattering across the stone floor. And when the sound turned to picture, they stopped after making sure they were a good distance away, hidden in the shadows, completely out of view.

With hunger of their faces they peered into the clearing. Scattered trees stood alongside the houses, a fountain at the center of the village bursting with crystal clear water. Deep in the night, it was astonishing for them to see that people were abundant outside. Children too were all lit with smiles, dressed up as monsters, fairies, a mummy, a sole green dragon, etc. but not them.

Not vampires.

"It's amusing to see them like this," said one. His green eyes glittered as he gazed upon his companions who continued to look at the village.

"Tck. Let them have their fun. Our time to celebrate will be here soon," said another, and with certainty in his blood crimson eyes, he scanned the crowd once more. "Let us go for now," he advised, and without another word they disappeared back into the depths of the woods.

* * *

"Mommy, mommy! Let's go over there!" the little boy called, and his mother had no choice but to hurry and match the speed of her six years old son. Donned in a prince costume she had spent most of the weekend sewing, she watched as he swerved through the crowd, his bag filled to the brim with candy. He had the strongest urge she had ever seen to obtain more of the chocolaty, sweet goodness. She blamed her father for the trait, for he too had the biggest sweet tooth she had ever seen.

"Yugi, stop running so fast!" she yelled after him, but he instead giggled, running further ahead. His tri-coloured hair was the only thing she was able to use to spot where he was. She gave a defeated sigh, yet continued the chase. A high pitched squeal of delight was heard, his voice then following a short moment later. She shook her head. She was completely at his mercy.

"Mommy! Look, a rabbit!" he called, and she looked up to see that Yugi had stopped at the edge of the forest. He glanced at her before returning his gaze towards a gray object on the ground.

Unable to see what it was that had captured his attention, her eyebrows furrowed as she jogged a little closer to him. As soon as she got closer though, she stopped dead in her tracks.

It was a rabbit. Nothing to get worried over, but it was the strangeness of the rabbit what caught her off guard and ignited her senses. It was absolutely still. She took a step closer only to then notice another thing. A red patch of… blood… was seeping out from underneath the creature.

A sudden warning inside her gut told her to get her son away from there at all costs.

"Yugi, come here!" she ordered quickly. Fear shot up from her heart and sent her entire system into a frenzy. She glanced around herself frantically when he simply blinked at her, confused.

"Come, now!" she yelled again.

"But, Mommy," Yugi whined, and he did not move. He looked at her with a pout, still interested in the oddness of the rabbit.

"Yugi," she began, her hands and feet shaking for the life of her as she attempted to get closer to him, only to stop yet again. The scene that played out before her in that split second froze her to the core.

A boy with hair as white as snow, skin as pale as the blinding sun, and green eyes like that of a wolf emerged from within the dense trees. He looked about eighteen to nineteen years old, wearing a long black jacket that went halfway down his thighs, brushing against the bushes as he moved soundlessly like a mastered thief. A crisp white shirt underneath the jacket was tucked into his black pants, and boots which barely made a sound with every step he took across the dry ground.

With the entire outfit being black, it did not take long for her to notice the green, gem-like jewelry that hung in a loop at the side of his pants, glinting and shimmering like the colour of his eyes. And, the thing she finally laid her eyes upon in horror, was his leather-clad hands reaching for her unaware son.

She could not even blink, for if she did she would have missed the second it took for this strange man to swiftly vanish with her son as if he was never there. He was there though, just for a second, and she saw it. The long scar across his right eye, and the small lick of his lips as his arms enclosed around Yugi.

It was then when she finally let out a shrill scream.

* * *

Crimson eyes glared heatedly at the dirt as he paced with his arms crossed infront of him. The orange flames danced against his black attire as he moved back and forth angrily, his boots kicking up dust with each step.

"Atem, would you calm down!? It's not such a big deal-"

"Not a big deal? Bakura, you brought a human child into our nest! Don't you know how dangerous that is? We could be found!" Atem shouted, and his hands made fists at his side. His eyes stared hard into Bakura's green ones, making sure that his expression conveyed just how furious he was with the whole situation the other had put them in.

"Both of you, stop!" the missing third voice finally cut in, and he stepped between the two and pushed them apart. It took some effort, but eventually they receded their attack.

"Kaiba, you do not understand," Atem yelled.

"Yes, I do, but I also know that we can argue about this later," Kaiba said calmly, interrupting.

Atem's rage boiled even hotter when he heard Bakura scoff to himself, and without hesitating he took a step towards the white haired man to pummel him into the earth. However, Kaiba's hand pushing against his chest stopped him once more. He could see Kaiba shooting Bakura a dark, warning glare, and he could hear the soft jingling of the gems on their clothes made as they breathed heavily.

The red gem that was looped from one end of his jacket to the other shimmered and glinted in the moonlight just like the blue sapphire gem that hung on a chain on the breast pocket of Kaiba's coat.

"Returning the child is our importance, right now," Kaiba told them. "Understand?"

While Atem thought it over despite his anger, a whimper caught his, and the other two's, attention.

Sniveling quietly in the corner was the boy, wrapped in the red cape of his costume, tears falling from his wide, amethyst eyes before rolling down his cheeks. He was trembling from fear, looking at them hesitantly.

"I know that," Atem said slowly, and he turned away from the child to look into Kaiba's cold blue eyes. "We will have to take him back. Killing him is not an option."

"What?!" Bakura exclaimed, and both of their eyes turned to him. Atem scowled.

"Any problem, Bakura?" he growled.

"Yes!" Bakura yelled, walking up to him. "I'm sick and tired of this stupid deal you've made with the humans. I cannot feed properly like this. I'm hungry, Atem," he said, and he slowly bared his fangs. "I need more to eat. Animals are not satisfying us all year round and you both know it. I just can't understand why you're insistent on living like this."

Atem stared blankly at Bakura, ignoring the annoying pang in his chest. The man was not wrong. They needed to feed more often than once a year. But, he had already made a deal with the humans. He could not go back on his word. Yet… Atem gulped. Although he hated it, the real reason for his actions churned within him, forever trying to remind him of the incident.

"Then what do you want us to do?" Kaiba snapped, and his eyes bore swords as he looked at Bakura. When Bakura remained silent, Kaiba continued. "We will have to make do with what we have. Violating contracts of this magnitude is not something light, Bakura. Besides, we do not suck the blood of children, regardless of the reason why Atem had forbidden us," he said softly, and once more he too casted a sorrowful expression towards the child.

Bakura's hiss that rang in his ears removed his gaze.

"I don't care, nor know," Bakura said, and he took a step forward. "All I do know is that I can't stand this anymore."

He turned to Atem who had remained silent throughout their exchange, and sensing that he was being glared at, Atem looked up. His eyes flashed threateningly.

"I want you to figure something out," Bakura demanded. "Or else, forget the deal. I'll slaughter the entire village and hold no guilt. None for them, and especially none for your wretched soul."

"Bakura!" Kaiba yelled at hearing the comment Bakura directed towards Atem, but Bakura just shot daggers at him. Curses one after another left his mouth towards Kaiba who did not hesitate to shoot his share of verbal retaliation. As this went on however, Atem remained mute.

He stood silently, his hands in fists. His gaze was locked on the dirt ground as Bakura's bitter words echoed in his mind, awakening the damned memories he tried to bury deep. They stung his heart painfully, wrenching at his very undead soul. _Wretched_ was what Bakura had called him. Was he really beneath his title?

A strong wave of emotion welled up inside of him as the truth burst from their shackles. Shame and regret swirled around his head, sorrow engulfing his body. It was true. After hundreds of years, he had become something lower than dirt. Looked down upon and hated, ridiculed by everyone he had once ruled. It was disgraceful, yet here he was, pretending that he had everything under control. Bakura was not wrong. He did not deserve the title of Vampire King. Not anymore. Not now when the only thing he held dear was taken away from him in a blink of an eye.

Removing the hand that had found its way to his forehead, Atem closed his eyes and reopened them. When he did, a new resolve took over. He strengthened the last locks on his heart once more before glancing back to the child who was now outright sobbing due to the fight that was still taking place. He walked over, and as he did, the boy shrunk back against the tree upon seeing him. Atem was gentle nevertheless, especially when the boy's appearance tugged at the chains.

Crouching down, ever so softly he brought his finger up to the child's neck, closed his eyes and pressed down on a spot that immediately put the child into a deep slumber in a matter of seconds. Atem scooped the child up and held him tenderly in his arms. He eyed him carefully, taking in the red, puffy eyelids and the trails of tears that disappeared under his neck.

Such beautiful memories would never return.

"We are going to take him back," Atem said loudly. His voice was heard for the two stopped and looked to see him cradling the boy.

"Don't test me, Atem," Bakura threatened, taking a step forward, but Atem ignored him.

"He is a child. We cannot do this," Atem said stiffly, and he watched Bakura who continued to stare at him. "I will not allow you to kill him, so stop your complaining. Tonight you will get to feed. Just be patient and stop doing rash things in anger."

"Yes, Bakura. We will go now and just return him, have our sacrifices from the village, and stop this foolish fight right now," Kaiba explained further, not wanting to give Bakura another chance to speak. He kept a close eye on him though to see his reaction.

Bakura was evidently vivid. He was physically struggling with himself to not lash out. Hands clenched, shoulder's shaking… Thankfully it did not last long. He eventually calmed himself down enough and closed his eyes, and soon all Kaiba heard from him was the shallow breaths he was taking through his teeth.

"Okay, fine," he stated finally, and he looked directly at Atem before continuing. "It is still not enough however. This is just one night. What about the rest of the year?" Bakura questioned, and Atem responded with a simple answer.

"I will think about that later. For now, let us take the child back home." And with that said, Atem took off towards the village without another glance.

Kaiba took one last look at Bakura to make sure that he was going to follow them. Seeing the white haired man huff in defeat and scowl to himself, Kaiba smiled in satisfaction and left, comfort rising as he heard the leaves crunching behind them.

* * *

The streets of Ardglass was packed with a mob of people which were gathered around the center of the village, each with horror as they talked about the latest victim that was taken from them. There was no surprise though as to who had taken the child. They knew it was a vampire's doing. After all, it was not the first time the vampires struck.

Each year the bloodsuckers would enter their village for their yearly deal. The village was to offer three people as sacrifices if they did not want everyone dead. The vampires were very specific with who was chosen. They refused to feast upon children and the elderly. The reason for that was a mystery to them, and frankly they did not care so much, especially now. With a child gone missing and the witness claiming the kidnapper to be one of the vampires, all of their nerves had skyrocketed.

"They have betrayed us!" one man shouted, turning towards the crowd that had been gathered out of concern and fright.

"They said no children would be harmed," a woman said, trying to soothe the crying mother who burst into more tears. "Our darling Yugi," she continued, tears in her eyes. "G-Gone just like that."

"How could they do this!?" another lady shouted from amongst the crowd, her arms crossed infront of her dress to keep herself warm, but she was just trying to hide the goosebumps that had risen on her skin.

"Are the vampires going to kill us, mommy?" a little boy asked, watching the commotion from a distance. Without replying his mother just shooed him back into the house, shaking her head furiously.

"They are going to kill us all. They will spare no one," one of the Heads of the village said gravely, and he rubbed his beard as he thought with worry.

"What can we do?" a man asked, stepping forward from the crowd. The Head just looked at him and pondered even deeper. Eventually he decided on an answer, one that he knew the townspeople were not going to enjoy.

"They broke the contract they made with us, so they will certainly not receive any sacrifices. That is a promise," the Head explained slowly, mustering up as much determination as he could, and he looked up when another shout rang through the crowd.

"But that would just get us all killed," a woman exclaimed, and with cold, brown eyes the Head eyed them all before responding with malice and anger in his tone.

"In the end, they are going to kill us! So, before they do so, we will have to kill them."

Everyone fell silent.

"K-Kill the vampires?" a voice asked, and the Head nodded determinedly.

"Yes. If we want to live without fear, then we have to kill them. For how long can we give up our friends, family, and neighbors to satisfy them? When will it end? Our children may be safe for now, but what will happen to them when they grow older? They will meet the same fate. They always do. My own son that I had protected for so long was eventually taken, so what exactly are we giving in for?"

Everyone was silent, the words of the village head making sense to them. What he said was true. Living in fear was not how they wanted to spend eternity. Being the weaker race. Being treated like nothing but willing cattle. Somehow, someday, it all had to stop. Something had to change.

The Head continued to speak, his voice low after a deep, saddening sigh.

"We need to be the ones to put a stop to this. And tonight, that is what we will do.  
His voice grew hard, his eyes burning with a fire that sparked courage in his followers. "I suggest you get your weapons and stand guard. When they come, they would not be leaving again."

A cheer in unison was heard throughout the streets. As the townspeople gathered willpower within their chests, preparations began. The crowd was split into a few groups to cover as much ground as possible. While some collected weapons, others went about securing the ground. Parents rushed home to tuck their fearful children away in safe corners, reassuring them with words of victory, and freedom.

As for the three leaders of the town, they sat down and created a strategy, refusing to move or eat without making sure their plan was error free.

Everyone was doing all they could in the short few hours they had to defeat the enemy, and it was not until eleven that night, anxiety levels high, when they sensed the dark energy of the creatures approaching.

The lampposts flickered before exploding one by one, leaving the town in utter darkness. Cries immediately came from the children as fear settled, and the tension did nothing to ease the unrest the elders felt. They knew who was coming. All they could do though was lock their doors and position themselves outside with weapons hidden away on their person. Only a few stood out in the opening, daring to greet their unwanted neighbors head on.

The wait was not long. In just a blink of an eye the empty yard before them held the bodies of the three vampires - a harsh breeze the only thing that signaled their arrival.

Hearts leaped as the cold, unusual eyes were settled on them, but everyone ultimately remained put. The vampires were sneering, looking down at them as they stood infront of the fountain. Everyone felt the unwavering confidence and strength the three radiated, but they steeled their hearts and reminded themselves of their freedom.

Those thoughts soon disintegrated into nothing.

The bearded leader took a step back, the other's following as they then noticed a little boy in the red eyed vampire's arm. It was the same boy they had all thought to be dead. The death of that same boy which helped to encourage the rebellion. All along he was safe.

The blood suckers had returned him.

As their accusations of breaking the contract fell apart, the leaders started to take fearful steps back as the red eyed vampire stepped closer with a serene yet chilling smile glued to his face.

"Where is everyone?" Atem teased, looking around. "Are they hiding?" He chuckled. "No matter. I love playing hide and seek, don't you?" and he turned to look at Bakura and Kaiba who surveyed the village cautiously.

As vampires they had to be feared. If they were not feared, how would they live? Humans were so arrogant. They believed they were at the top of the food chain, and if anything threatened that… well, they didn't take it so well.

The humans had to be reminded and put in their places. Vampires didn't want world domination like them. They just wanted a little to eat to simply survive. But being killed out of fear? Foolish. Especially against beings who were obviously stronger than they were. Ravenous as they were for power, humans would use weakness to overcome them. As vampire's, for survival they had to put aside issues that would break their strong bond. They couldn't give a glimpse of weakness. From experience, they knew how much could be lost because of in-clan fighting. Much more so when it was your own kind thirsty for the sin called power.

"Where are they?" Kaiba asked coldly, and he walked up to one of the leaders. He could sense the tension in the air and practically taste the defiance that radiated through the area. Slightly put off, he went on high alert.

"Where are the sacrifices?" he repeated.

"Or, are you three them?" Bakura teased, and he pushed his way to the front to look at the three men who were desperately trying to hide the terror on their face. They failed, and Atem watched with a tad bit of unease of his own as Bakura grinned gleefully.

"Something is wrong," Kaiba whispered into Atem's ear after stepping close, and the already serious face Atem wore became even graver. His eyes flickered over to Kaiba.

"I know, but it does not matter much. If they do anything, we stop them. That is all," Atem reassured, and Kaiba stepped back, content with the answer.

"We brought the child back!" Bakura shouted, and he pointed towards the kid in Atem's arms. "Now, get us the sacrifices."

Everyone remained silent. As Bakura itched to lash out in frustration, a shout through the crowd reached his ears.

"Yugi?!"

All eyes immediately turned towards the woman who rushed out from the safety of her home to grab her son in her arms. She stopped infront of Atem, tears streaming down her face from relief. With arms held out, too afraid to step close to the vampire herself, she silently asked for him to return to her.

"Mia, get back!" one of the leaders shouted, but he was ignored by the mother who was too happy to care about the danger she had put herself in.

"He is alive. My son is safe," Mia cried, and she looked at Yugi longingly. "Father, this all can stop. The war can stop because Yugi's safe now!" she exclaimed, turning to the man, and she smiled with joy as Atem walked towards the fountain and sat the boy down at the base. But, before the woman could grab her son into a hug, Atem stood still and stared at her. She stopped in her place as he raised his hand.

"First, tell me," he started, eyeing her carefully. "What war were you talking about?" and he watched as words spilled from the woman's mouth before the leaders could yell at her to stop.

"They thought you killed him!" she cried, wiping her tears and stepping towards Yugi. "They planned on killing you all because they thought you broke the contract and was going to kill us next. But, you did no such thing." She smiled, a hand to her heart. "Yugi's safe. My baby is safe," and she sobbed happily without care. She ran past the vampires and towards Yugi, clutching the boy tightly after the vampire stepped away, satisfied with the answer.

Atem however was livid. Walking away he went straight towards Kaiba and Bakura who were fuming with anger just as he was, their gazes locked on the three men.

"Care to explain yourselves?" Kaiba asked sternly, and Bakura's hands made fists.

"You wanted to kill us," Bakura seethed, and like a madman he started to grin widely, breaking out into a chuckle which turned into a crazed laughter. "How did you expect to do that?!"

"You broke the contract," another leader managed stated bravely. "You took the child. Besides, we can't go on like this. We can't live in fear of you forever! If not now, you will kill our children in the future as they get older. We can't stand by any longer and allow you to do that to our people. It has been several generations!"

"Sir, they didn't kill the boy though," one of the other men said from behind. "They brought him back. We can plan better later. Call it off," he continued, but he was shrugged off.

"No. Enough is enough." The three of them were eyed with hatred. "Tonight we end this! Everyone, attack!" he shouted, and as the village appeared from their hiding spots, Bakura was the one who smirked, readying himself for a killing spree.

"My pleasure," he said, and without hesitating he broke into a run before he could be stopped.

Vigorously Bakura shoved the man's body towards a house with much speed, and crushed him against the wall. Bricks cracked and debris crumbled around him, but Bakura continued to hold on to the man's throat. His fangs showed themselves when he smiled, and slowly he began to close his hands in. His fingers dug into the skin, and soon he had his long digits wrapped around the man's gullet. The man struggled and writhed, choking and clawing with all his might as blood gushed from him. It was all in vain because with a roar, Bakura separated him from his esophagus with just a blink. Blood spewed everywhere, and he watched uncaringly as the man's body dropped with a thud to the ground. With one last look, he licked the blood on his face, blood dripping from his reddened hands.

Turning around, satisfied and thrilled with himself, he smirked when he saw Atem and Kaiba looking at the display, and him, with distaste.

"You are definitely insane," Kaiba muttered.

They did not have a long time to idle because as soon as Bakura had pounce on the man, the rest of the village geared up and rained their assaults. One by one they came forward, those at the top of their houses firing them with arrows, some coming at them with flames and spears, each with the hope of taking them down.

"You do not want to do this," Atem said, warning them, but they paid no heed to his words. As soon as he was done speaking, he heard the running, hasty footsteps behind him. His eyes widened with recognition, and in an instant he turned and grabbed the hand of a man that held a torch, the intent of burning him clear on his face. Eyes slanting, Atem clenched tightly down on the hand, successfully breaking it. Hearing the man scream in pain however only made him feel disappointed.

"What do we do?" Kaiba asked, coming up behind him. He was breathing heavily.

"I need to eat…" Bakura playfully trailed off in reminder, and he looked at the people, licking his lips every so often.

Atem clenched his fists as he thought. He watched the people. He watched as they attacked one by one before coming at them in groups. Shaking, blond bangs falling over his face, he had to make his decision. The people were serious. They wouldn't stop unless they were dead. And if Bakura did not eat, there was going to be even more trouble. He had to weigh his options. A broken contract versus a crazed Bakura who had a good chance of just taking matters into his own hands.

Lifting his head, Atem gazed at Kaiba who continued to defend him as he stood there, deciding. The brunet picked up a man and threw him against a cart which shattered upon impact. Sensing that he was being watched, blue eyes met his briefly, and in them Atem saw the unwavering trust. He turned and watched Bakura. Strong and skilled, the white haired one barely needed to move a muscle. Using his energy he deflected all of their advances. It was clear though. Bakura was withholding himself from all and any temptations. Their eyes met as well, and in them Atem also spotted that spark of obedience.

He knew what he had to do.

Nodding to the both of them, a small smile graced his lips.

"Let's have a feast."

Glee was evident. Bakura took off without waiting to hear another word, and Kaiba smiled as well before disappearing within the mob. Atem grinned, pleased with himself. It had been hundreds of years since they had a full stomach. Now that they were given a perfect opportunity to eat until their heart was content, he would be a fool to turn a blind eye, right?

Reaching out he grabbed the first person who came towards him, and he could not help but let out a chortle as the man dropped his weapon and began trembling in fear. The glow of a vampires eyes had everyone shaking and frozen with fear. He sunk his fangs down, and within moments the body was drained. A corpse was what fell to the ground.

Atem looked up at the screaming scene, and he relished the adrenaline that pumped through his veins. The high he hadn't felt in a long time enveloped him warmly. He wondered why he had stopped doing this in the first place. The answer was lost in the moment.

Bakura ran around, bodies already piling on the ground completely dead. He tasted and savored, wanting to find the perfect person. No puddle of blood stopped him. He craved to taste all of their bloods before totally devouring someone. Though, if he kept it up, he would certainly be full.

He could hear the cries of the children and soft whimpers the elderly made, hidden in their homes. It irritated him endlessly, and not wanting to hear their pitiful wails, he had no power to kill them to have it stop. He growled and just proceeded with what he was doing, promising to yell at Atem again later on for making the ridiculous oath.

It did not take long for a flood of blood to trail its way through town. It was splattered against the walls with each decapitated limb. The red liquid trailed like a sinister snake from weakened bodies that were left to bleed out until death. Man, woman, all were killed without hesitation. They took as much as they could drink before leaving them on the floor, each pair of eyes eventually dimming with life.

Everything the humans attempted to stop the vampires only gave negative results. If they were cut, they healed. If they were burned, their skin mended, and the vampires sneered at them with such happiness as it did. They were just too strong. Too fast. Ultimately, the humans realised they stood no chance and began to flee with their very lives.

Atem watched as Bakura blocked the only exit and entrance into the village. He stood there like a wolf, preying on all that dared to leave. They screamed with all of their breath along with the shrill crying of the young ones that were locked indoors. The sounds drifted in the night, and oddly Atem felt at ease.

" _No_!"

His body went cold at the voice that reached out from his mind. Atem's eyes snapped open, and as his high vanished, he looked around at the chaos he had ordered. Blood. Death. Faint screams that were starting to feel so distant.

A trembling hand went up to his face with horror. He had caused bloodshed once again… His legs losing power, Atem dropped to his knees. What had he done? How could he have done this again? He had promised…

"Waaaaaah! Waaah!"

The sound of a child's cry startled him out of his memories. Pants and sleeves coated with blood, he gazed in the direction of the sound to see the little boy that they had had in their custody. What did his mother call him? _Yugi_. Yugi was crying fretfully over a body on the ground, covered with dirt.

"King?"

Bakura's voice above him did nothing to remove his attention from the pair.

"You killed his mother?" Atem asked emotionlessly, watching the tears run down the boy's face like a stream. He glanced at Bakura when he saw the small shrug.

"Yeah?"

Atem remained quiet.

"Come on." Feeling a hand on his shoulder, he turned around to see Kaiba looking at him. His cousin was covered in the liquid, sleeves that were once white now red. Blood was dripping off all of them, drying like a stain. Atem only felt colder.

"Snap out of it," Kaiba said once more, and he helped Atem back to his feet when he received almost no response. "We killed everyone. There is no one left except for the children and the elderly. I think we should go now."

"I… know," Atem finally answered, and for once during the entire night, he sighed before looking at Kaiba. As if in pain the next few words left his mouth. "We should leave."

"Before we do that though," Bakura started, and the two looked up and watched as he walked over to the fountain. "I want to do something to remember this wonderful night."

"And what may that be?" Kaiba asked, scowling slightly, but Bakura just grinned. Gazing into the fountain where his reflection should be in the water, he was instead looking down into a pool of blood.

"You'll see."

* * *

The following morning was filled with ambulances and police officers. They were taping up the entire town, detectives and people in suits investigating and looking around at the scene with horror. Medics and officers from neighboring towns and cities arrived at the crack of dawn with an entourage of photographers and reporters.

Everyone wanted to know what had happened. Unfortunately they were not prepared to come across a mass murder of this extreme.

The question on all of their minds was, " _Who could have done it_?" After hours of searching turned into days, still not a single clue was found. Except for one.

The fountain.

When the town was created so many generations ago, a beautiful fountain with crystal clear water was put up to symbolize the hope and happiness the people had. And now, it was the only thing left of the small village to show its end. In the bloodied town stood the fountain that now poured nothing but blood. The stones used to decorate it was replaced with limbs of all sizes, heads swirling around in the blood like vegetables boiling in a pot of soup.

Witnesses came forth weeks later. Still scarred and shocked to the core, many still unable to say a word. Those who could speak retold the tale of what happened. They told a story of three vampires who haunted their town for generations, and then massacred everyone, choosing to leave the children and elderly alive for reasons unknown.

Of course, these people were not believed. Who would?

After all, vampires did not exist.

* * *

 **This is chapter one. Yes, for those who read it before, it may be a lot of changes, but still similar outcome in the end. Hope you liked it though! To be honest, I had to spend super extra time because while I was rereading it, I couldn't help but slap myself, it was so cheesy before! I do hope it's better now. Anyways, I will try to update soon. :)**

 **Review please! And thank you for reading.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello, everyone! Welcome back to the next chapter to this story. I would like to thank you all for your reviews, follows, and favourites. I'm glad to see that there are people who are interested in reading. :) So, we now travel seven years into the future where our darling Yugi is now fourteen years old, just to let you know.**

 **Oh, and is it annoying that they're vampires? I know, it's kind of cliché and boring and corny to read about vampires, but surely the plot will keep you all interested, right? ^_^" Anyways…**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

A Vampire's Kill

Chapter 2

* * *

 _7 years later…_

Crimson eyes remained transfixed on the ruined town that laid before him. Standing on a branch deep within the forest, he could not help but recall the events that took place all those years ago, changing the direction of his life yet again. The barren town was void of a single soul. Doors hung off their hinges, swinging back and forth with an eerie creak as the October wind blew through the area. Dust and broken windows were what lived on, including blood that was not completely removed. They were left to dry, their stains on the concrete floors forever serving as a reminder for his mistake.

That night was the starting point of all their struggles. They lost the place where they received their annual doses of human blood from, and without the town so nearby to their home, they strained in finding elsewhere for fresh blood. It was impossible to feed and get away quietly, for all the places they could go to were big cities and towns that were too far away. And when they were done, exhausting themselves completely, they had to travel all the way back to their home in the forest of Ardglass because it was the only place humans would not accidently stumble upon them.

With a sigh, Atem closed his eyes and turned away, jumping down from the tree. He landed soundlessly on the ground, and with eyes half-lidded, he walked under the soft moonlight and towards his comrade who was picking up the last bits of sticks he could find. The fire for the night had to be prepared, and from the looks of it, his cousin alone bustled about silently. With his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his jacket, Atem stopped.

"Where is Bakura?" he asked, slightly irked as he looked around for the green eyed man who was nowhere to be seen. He heard Kaiba's _humph_.

"He said that he had something important to do."

"And what could that be?" Atem questioned, and he walked over to Kaiba to take a pile of sticks from him, making the load lighter. As he did, he made a mental note to scold Bakura once more for disappearing when it was his time to do chores.

"He gave no explanation of any sort. All he told me was that he would return soon," Kaiba said, and seemingly done collecting, he turned around and started to walk back to their campsite.

Atem clicked his tongue in annoyance as he followed behind silently. What was he to do with his other partner? It was not easy talking to the man. Bakura just loved to disobey him. He would wander off whenever he felt like, do whatever he wanted, refuse to listen to him at times, and would even argue with him almost every single day about something whether it was about his duties to get meals or just about where to sit. He was so stubborn and reckless. Rebellious too. However, as much as it pained him to admit, Bakura was loyal, and always stuck through with his promises. Atem knew that he would be back.

As they neared their campsite, Atem's belief came true. Upon hearing a rustle in the bushes, he and Kaiba stopped and turned in the direction of the sound. Neither of the was surprised to see the third man of their crew making his way over while brushing dirt and leaves from his jacket and hair.

Now he was going to get it.

"Where have you been?" Atem asked coldly, eyeing Bakura who stopped in front of him. Bakura however did not answer right away. He instead chose to moment to continue cleaning himself off as if he heard nothing.

Glaring deeply into Bakura's eyes to see what he was thinking, Atem's eyes widened. Bakura's irises were glowing, the green shine evident.

"You were out feeding," Atem stated, his tone sharp. Bakura instantly looked his way with a raised brow, glaring slightly when met with the hostile expression.

"Oh, shut up," Bakura muttered angrily.

"What did you say to me?" Atem hissed, and as soon as he took a step forward, Kaiba grabbed his arm. Bakura glanced at them with a little smirk.

"Explain yourself, Bakura," Kaiba said harshly, and Bakura let out a deep sigh.

"Fine. Yes, I was feeding, but it was not planned," he quickly defended. "I just went out to find a decent place with a good amount of people for tonight. I just happened to get seen and therefore I had to deal with the issue. That is also the reason as to why I got late. Sorry," and he ended it off on a sarcastic note.

"You got seen? That is so unlike you," Kaiba said. He glanced at Atem briefly before releasing his arm. When Atem closed his eyes and turned away with a huff, Kaiba let out a small sigh and followed him.

After dropping the sticks he held into the fire pit, Kaiba's attention was then turned towards Bakura. His eyes scanned Bakura's always defensive form to see if anything was wrong, and he frowned slightly when he saw no injury of any sort. Bakura was exceptionally good at keeping out of sight. He was so stealthy when he really wanted to be, especially during the past few years. So, how did he possibly get seen?

"How were you spotted, Bakura?" Atem asked. Upon seeing Kaiba's concern, he too was curious to know what made him slip up.

Bakura however seemed to not share their worries.

"I was just distracted-" Bakura started to explain without much seriousness, and at that Atem's voice cut through his sentence.

"What do you mean you were distracted? Distracted by what?!"

Atem's heart raced with that familiar rage Bakura's antics always created. It was fine that he had taken the responsibility to go out to find their meals, but to be so careless that he got seen was not okay. Taking lives when not necessary or under circumstances where the issue was avoidable goes against everything they stood for. Yet… Atem's head started to throb as anger welled up within him.

"I'm getting to it!" Bakura yelled, and Atem found some strength within himself to keep his mouth closed as he looked at the eye roll.

"I saw that child," Bakura finally said, and surprise replaced Atem's irritation. Even Kaiba looked at Bakura with astonishment.

"What child?" they both asked in unison, and Bakura let out a bothered sigh before explaining further.

"Remember that child I had taken from this town all those years ago," he began, gesturing with his head in the direction of the now destroyed town. Cautiously Atem and Kaiba nodded, their eyes locked on him. He went on.

"Well, I saw him."

Atem's insides froze up as the memory of those tear-filled violet eyes, the soft, pale skin, and that tri coloured hair that almost mirrored his own floated up in his mind. He shook it away and looked at Bakura with disbelief.

"Are you sure it was him?" he asked, and once more Bakura nodded.

"It was him, trust me. I would know since I was the one who took him after all."

Atem caught the look of resentment that crossed Bakura's features. It seemed that he was not the only one that held regrets from that day.

Kaiba took notice of the sorrow and remorse that hung over both of their heads. Honestly… They both were capable of finding problems with each other, but not so great at figuring out what was wrong with themselves.

"Why are you both getting so worked up over the child? If you have forgotten, let me remind you," Kaiba started to say. Atem and Bakura looked at him with blank looks. "He cannot do anything to us. He is a human, and so young at the time as well. There is no way he could remember us."

Watching on, Kaiba sighed yet again. Neither of their expressions changed, so he had to turn to other tricks to get them out of their rut.

"Atem, Bakura was the one who ripped your leather jacket," Kaiba confessed, and instantaneously Bakura and Atem's eyes shot open. Bakura started screaming at Kaiba with horror.

"You freaking liar! You said you wouldn't tell!"

"YOU wrecked it?!" Atem screeched. "I should have known! And then you had the audacity to lie to me?!"

"Kaiba lied to you too! He said he didn't know how it happened!"

"Shut up! That was my favourite jacket!"

"Atem!? I swear, I- OW!"

Kaiba shook his head to himself as curses flew out of Bakura's mouth and Atem's shouts resonated through the air. Sometimes it was rewarding being a mediator between two people as stubborn as them. Though, he failed to understand why he himself used to be grouped with their behavior type. He was nothing like them!

Scowling slightly, tired after berating Bakura, Atem dropped down on to one of the logs situated around the fire pit. Kaiba walked to the other side and hopped up on to the large rock, propping a knee up, and quietly they both watched as Bakura dropped the rest of the wood he had into the center. He quickly lit the fire without a word before making his way over to a log next to Atem. Instead of sitting on the wood though, he chose to sit on the ground, using the log as a backrest.

The welt on Bakura's face was an angry red colour, stinging quite a bit, but he chose to ignore it and pretend the mark did not exist. Atem could really hit hard…

It was calm, after all was said and done. Absolutely quiet. Somewhere within the trees an owl hooted, and then the flap of bird wings were heard in the distance. There was no other sound. Alone with just each other, they watched and bathed in the light, enjoying the sparks and the smoke the burning red flames gave off.

"Where is this place you found, Bakura?" Kaiba called after a while, and Atem looked on with slight amusement as Bakura scrunched his nose, completely annoyed since the other broke the silence. He answered eventually.

"Not far from here. A bit up North. It seems to be a city, and at that moment I didn't sense the presence of other vampire clans.

"Good work then," Atem said as he drew circles in the dirt with his gloved finger. "We should be able to feast just fine there."

"The entire street?" Bakura asked, and hearing the wild hope in his tone, Atem nodded.

"Of course. That is the deal," he answered, and Bakura turned his gaze back to the fire with a content smile.

One street every year. No children and elderly to be killed. That was the new deal Atem made starting six years ago, and that was what kept all of them happy until now. It was the perfect, filling, compromise.

His guilt had died over the years.

* * *

With his boots slapping the ground, Yugi walked hurriedly towards the Game Shop where he lived.

Throughout the day the boy could not focus. A sinking feeling had settled in his stomach, making him sick with dread. The tension had made him look so terrible that at one point his friends insisted that he leave school early and return home for some rest. In the end though, as he admitted to them, he was just worried. _Very worried_.

Seven years ago, on this day, vampires entered and slaughtered his entire village, including his mother. All he could do was sit and cry helplessly during that nightmarish moment, soaked to the flesh in his mother's blood while the vampire watched him keenly. He still could not get those red eyes out of his mind.

Before the slaughter, he vaguely remembered that one of them had kidnapped him, keeping him as some kind of a hostage.

Sharp green eyes, pale skin, and snowy white hair also haunted his dreams, and he spent many nights after that shivering with fear in his sleep, unable to run away from the sinister look. Now fourteen years old, he still could not forget.

Shaking his head Yugi tried to remove the memory that was forever burned into his mind. There was no point in remembering. All it brought him was pain.

" _Forget! Forget!"_ he kept telling himself.

After the night had passed, his Grandpa had taken him in, and never again did Yugi step foot into the cursed village. It became abandoned ever since that day, and no one dared to live there anymore. Stupid people were the ones who went there, playing games to see who would last longer in the village, only to be chased away the next day with bruises and ugly gashes on their skin.

It was the vampires. He knew it. Everyone who saw the three vampires that night knew vampires were involved. But, the world did not. The world refused to believe that vampires had killed so many people. The world refused to even acknowledge their existence.

As much as he tried, Yugi knew it was impossible to run away from it all. He had been able to live his life happily with the memories pushed to the back of his mind. But today, his heart sped up rapidly when he sensed a familiar presence near him - looking at him.

From his classroom window he searched for those green eyes, but found none.

"Grandpa! I'm home," he called as he unlocked the door and stepped into the shop. The setting sun casted an orange glow across the game shop floor. Locking the front door, Yugi walked up the stairs to the living quarters just above him.

"Yugi, did you get all of the groceries?" his Grandpa asked from the kitchen as he entered, and Yugi nodded as he set the bags on top of the wooden dining table.

"Yeah," he answered quietly, and pulling out a chair, he sat down and laid his head on the table. He mindlessly watched his Grandpa as he chopped vegetables, and sensing that he was being watched, his Grandpa stopped and looked at him.

"Is something the matter?" his Grandpa asked, and Yugi shook his head.

"No, it's nothing, really," he answered, and he hid his face when his Grandpa crossed his arms and looked at him sternly.

"It doesn't look like _nothing_ to me, young man," he said.

Sighing, Yugi had no choice. He lifted his head and stared at his Grandpa, arms crossed on his lap under the table.

"I just have a bad feeling," he murmured, and he burrowed deeper into his seat when his Grandpa came forth and brushed his hair soothingly. An exasperated sigh left the man's lips.

"Yes, Halloween is tonight." His Grandpa's voice was soft, filled with understanding, but Yugi's bad feeling only got worse.

"They're going to come here," he whispered, and admitting that fact to himself, Yugi looked at his Grandpa.

His grandpa just looked at him with wide eyes.

"Who's coming?" the man started. "Is it your friends? Did you finally decide to go trick or treating with them?" Grandpa beamed. "I'm so happy. This is a good thing. You've never went out ever since…"

"No, Grandpa," Yugi said firmly, and he stood. His Grandpa looked at him, this time startled. "The Vampires. They are coming here. They're going to attack tonight."

Silence. His Grandpa let out a deep sigh.

"Yugi, don't be ridiculous. We've went over this already-"

"Grandpa, I'm not crazy!" Yugi exclaimed. "It's true. They exist and they're going to come here. I can feel it! I felt their eyes on me, and- and I don't know what to do to stop them."

"Yugi, you need to calm down," Grandpa tried to say. "Vampires don't exist. What attacked Ardglass that night was humans. Crazy murderers, okay? Not vampires."

It was at those words did Yugi remember.

Falling silent, he shrugged off his grandfather's hand and walked away to his room.

"Yugi!" his Grandpa called, but he did not turn around.

He entered his room and locked the door. He breathed in deeply, trying to keep back the sob that was trying to escape his mouth. Leaning back against the frame, eyes completely blank and filled with tears as he stared up at the dark ceiling, not bothering to put on the lights.

Just like the world, his grandpa did not believe his words. It was all true though. One hundred percent true. Vampires killed his mother. They killed the kind lady who made cute toys for him, and the farmer who would give him and other kids rides on his horses. His neighbor, the mailman… They were all gone, and tonight, would he lose his friends to the vampire's as well? Would he lose his grandpa? Would he lose more people he knew and cared about?

Sliding down the door, Yugi allowed the tears to fall quietly.

Those three vampires scared him immensely. And why did they do what they did? If he knew, surely it would scare him even more. Who knew where they were right now. Which village, town or city was next? The world thought that it was just regular killings. Wanted murderers coming out on Halloween, going on a killing spree. But, no one could see the truth. It was the vampires, not humans.

Every year the creature's deeds made headlines. A city, village, completely gone in a night. And not just one place. Mass deaths in several places led him to believe that there were more of them out there. Not just those three, because the three who attacked his village was a small group. Tiny compared to the groups who would attack the big cities. And the big clue, the reason they stood out, was because the children and the elderly were spared.

Shuddering once more, Yugi took a deep breath and stood, wiping away his tears. He walked up to the window to take a peek outside, noticing the full moon shining down on the dark neighborhood. The faint sound of laughter from children terrified him, all of them unaware of the danger they were putting themselves in. All he could do though was hope that nothing of the sort would happen. However, even though all was calm for now, he could feel the danger in the air.

Something was coming.

* * *

With a confident smirk on his face, Atem walked down a small neighborhood within Domino City. He watched the familiar scene that looked no different from every other year at an odd ease. It reminded him so much like Ardglass. Many years was spent feeding there that all other places just served as a reminder. Children continued to run about collecting candy from neighbors after donning their favourite costume, while their parents ran behind them, calling their names with frustration and helplessness.

He could not understand why the humans were so foolish. Or, were they just reckless? Whether they believed vampires existed or not, they knew mass killings took place each year. Why were they not hiding in their homes, afraid? Foolish they were indeed.

Kaiba, Bakura and he had split up as soon as they arrived. Since they feasted on such big places, so many streets and such, they had to create a new routine. Splitting up made it easier for them to cover more ground than going to a place one by one, especially since there was a lot of people out. And what made it even better, no one would question them if they walked around so freely because they would not be recognized. They blended in with the night sky and other costumes, their dark clothing almost scared the others away. Almost, because sometimes the humans would surprise him. There have been occasions when he was complimented for his outfit. It was very amusing.

Walking past a wooden, half-painted fence, Atem caught sight of his first feed of the year. He sneered as he spotted a woman outside of her house. She was dressed in regular clothing, picking up colourful string off the floor of her backyard. She had her back to him, making her completely unaware of his presence.

Perfect.

Sauntering up to the woman, she barely had time to turn around to question him when a scream broke out from her mouth the second she spotted his long, white fangs. Atem bit down without a second of hesitation and reveled in the blood that spurted from her neck, the fluid running down his chin as he sunk his teeth deeper into her flesh. She fell silent, gurgling for a few seconds before stopping completely. Finished, he allowed her to drop to the ground without care, her form falling on to the blood splattered grass with a dull thump. Her eyes were open, and lifeless.

His own irises glowed brightly. He licked his lips and cleaned his mouth with a black handkerchief he took out from his back pocket, and taking one last look at the body, he turned and walked off with his hands burrowed deep into the pockets of his jacket.

He walked a bit more, taking another victim along the way. As soon as he turned the corner of that street however, he caught sight of Kaiba who was walking out from an alley, wiping fresh blood off his cheek. Their eyes met and Kaiba grinned, his blue eyes glowing intensely. Without verbally telling the other, they walked together to find where Bakura was hiding. They did not have to search long because the blaring of a car alarm down the street took them to him.

The sound had brought out the attention of other people as well because soon the street became even more crowded. People had come out to investigate, especially after the car went up in flames.

"What is he doing?" Atem asked. Really, Bakura never failed to leave him completely clueless at times as well.

Kaiba said nothing in reply, and so they just watched as people gathered, trying to put the fire out themselves. The people stopped though when they saw Bakura prancing around the car, watching them and laughing like a crazy person. That is, until he sunk his teeth into a young man.

The loud cry was like a bullet to their ears. Everyone scattered when blood started spurting out from the man's mouth and they did not stop running, especially when his body dropped to the ground, dead. They were too late though. Like a honey bee scrounging around for pollen on every flower it could find, Bakura grabbed each and every one of them due to his immense speed, and drained them of all the blood in their bodies. His eyes glowed that fierce green that were so unlike his dark, copper ones, and he laughed manically again as each body fell. Blood ran down his mouth as he stared at the frantic people with animalistic glee.

"He sure knows how to make a scene," Kaiba commented, a small, amused smile on his face as he looked on. Atem only face-palmed.

"I think I may have to speak to him about having too much fun when doing this."

"You know what, Atem," Kaiba started suddenly. Atem looked up at him, not understanding the strange tone, one that he heard only from Bakura on several occasions.

"What?" he asked, and he raised a brow.

"You need to let loose sometimes."

Atem's eyes widened.

"What?!"

Kaiba smirked. "It is feeding time! How else can we eat? Go big or go home- that's what I say!"

"I'm sure only Bakura would say that."

"Come on!" Kaiba yelled, and he dashed off without another moment of hesitation. Atem watched him stand next to Bakura, grabbing people of his own and laughing manically with the other.

Sweat dropping, Atem smiled in defeat.

"Let loose, huh?"

* * *

Yugi shot up from his work desk as he heard the shrieks and shouts coming from outside. A car alarm or two rang through his small neighborhood, and as he slowly stood up, his heart pounding against his chest and eyes wide, he ran to the window. What he saw had him backing away from the cold glass.

There was blood. People were dropping dead like flies, everyone running for their lives from the dark shadows that chased them down, stopping them from making any further sound and movement. What they left was a trail of blood.

Yugi gulped, feeling his insides freezing up. There was only one kind of creature he knew that could do that.

"Vampires," he said to himself out loud, unknowingly.

Taking shaky steps backwards, Yugi bolted out the door. _"No, this can't be happening!"_ he thought, and he ran down the hallway in search of his grandfather.

"Grandpa! Grandpa!?" he called frantically, and he ran from room to room his fear rising when he heard no reply.

His head started to spin in all directions, unsure of where his grandfather had gone. He was just about to run down to the shop when he froze, finally noticing the little note on the kitchen table which was held down by the salt shaker.

Trembling, he picked it up.

 _ **Yugi, you forgot to get milk. How else am I to make dinner? You were studying so I didn't want to bother you. I'm just going to the store to get some. Be back soon. –Grandpa**_

 _ **PS: Don't worry.**_

His hands shook harder.

"How can I not worry?" Yugi asked, his voice cracking. Crumpling the note, he looked out the window. The screams continued to echo around him.

What was he to do? All of his fears was coming true. It had come true! There were vampires in his neighborhood, and his grandfather was out there all alone. And, to make it worse, _**who**_ was out there? Those were definitely vamps. They moved to fast to be humans. But, what group? Was it an ordinary group, or was it those three? His eyes widened fearfully. Either way, if caught his grandpa would get killed. He was not that old to be spared if it was those three. Yet, something in his gut told him that it was. If something happened to his grandpa…

No!

Yugi's hands clenched tightly. He had to do something.

Making his decision, Yugi ran and pulled on his shoes and jacket before dashing down the stairs. He grabbed his old baseball bat for protection while he was at it, and taking a deep breath, he opened the door.

Immediately the screams and cries exploded in his ears, and he found no place to run as everyone dashed on by. He looked around the dark street, and not seeing any vampires, he gripped the bat tightly and made a run for it towards the grocery store. All he hoped for when he got there was that his grandpa was alright.

Running in the opposite direction of these people proved to be even more challenging. They were just all over the place. Many were tripping and falling, crashing into things that only caused more diversions on the road. He had such trouble dodging them that he mentally berated himself for not thinking of a better route. He pushed forward though, keeping his eyes peeled in case he saw any vampires. Just as the thought crossed his mind, he froze in shock.

Standing just across the street, was the white haired vampire.

The world seemed to have slowed down around Yugi. He watched as bodies dropped to the ground around that vampire one by one. He watched the blood flying through the air, staining the pure, white coloured hair. And those eyes were just as he remembered them. Green as a snake, transfixing and haunting all at the same time.

Something took over him at that moment. Heat developed within his chest, and clutching the baseball bat tightly with both hands, Yugi began to take steps closer to the unaware vampire. Visions of the vampire sinking his teeth down into his mother returned. He remembered his laughter and his smirk. He could still smell the scent of blood, he could still hear the screams. It all fueled his anger, and tears had him seeing blurry. This was it. He would end the nightmare once and for all.

Lifting the bat, he brought it down as hard as he could, only to have his eyes shoot open.

As fast as lightening the bat stopped in midair, and looking at it, Yugi saw the pale hands. And in one blink, he was staring up into those green eyes that bored holes into his skull.

He did not know what to do after that. His body seemed to have stopped functioning, especially when the vampire ripped the bat from his hands and flung it towards the street. It hit a car window, shattering it. Yugi jumped upon hearing the sharp shatter.

"I would advise against trying that again, kid," the vampire said, and it was enough to have Yugi hurtling fists at him. One by one however the lame attempts were stopped, and Yugi eventually gave up. He shook too much, tears made him almost blind, and helplessly he screamed at the vampire.

"I won't let you do this," he cried. "I won't!"

Trying to block out the screams and the cries that seemed to start up again around him, Yugi turned and ran down the street. He wiped away the tears as he ran, not caring if he bumped into anyone along the way. All he knew was that he had to save his grandpa at any cost.

Unknown to him, the vampire continued to stare at him with an expression that wavered with concern.

Within minutes Yugi reached the grocery store, and as soon as he got there, he stopped. Hands went to cover his mouth with horror and he stared at the dead bodies that lay inside.

"Grandpa…" Trembling, he held on to all hope that was left when he still heard screams coming from within. His grandpa might just still be alive.

Pressing his face against the window, he scanned the store for any sign of his grandpa when he immediately noticed a vampire he remembered quite well, mostly due to the fact that they looked so much alike. Yugi looked into those wild, crimson eyes, and looking at the people he was closing in on, Yugi gasped.

"Grandpa!"

Dashing for the door, he was just about to push it open when all of a sudden a hand on his shoulder stopped him from going any further.

"You should not go in there."

"Why not?! My Grandpa is in there. I need to save him!"

"It's of no use!" the voice yelled sternly, and angered, Yugi spun around only to stop once more. The hand squeezed tighter around his shoulder as he looked up into the cold blue eyes of the third member.

Yugi had nothing to say. He sniveled, tears rolling down his cheeks as he continued to stare into the passive face.

"I need to save my Grandpa," he said softly, through his tears, but in return the vampire shook his head.

"You need to leave," and the vampire gestured towards the one who was inside before speaking. "If he sees you, you may not get out alive. You-"

"I need to save my Grandpa!" Yugi shouted, but the vampire held him down.

"You cannot go in there! If you do, you will only make things worse for yourself. I know who you are, and I know that this will only make you sadder. You need to go. If he sees you again, I cannot assure you that you will return home safely this time."

"I don't care!" Yugi yelled. "You took away everything from me, from people, and now you want to take my grandpa. How can I be okay with that?! He's the only one I have left, so I'm not going to let you do this. I won't lose him! Let me go!"

"Please-"

"No!" and with that, Yugi shoved the hand away from him and opened the doors with a loud bang.

"Grandpa!" he shouted, and immediately the red eyed vampire's eyes were on him.

Yugi's chest hurt as he looked at the slender fingers that were wrapped around him Grandpa's neck, and the long fangs that sat protruded from the vampire's mouth. His lookalike narrowed his eyes at the intrusion, and without warning he dropped his Grandpa to the ground.

"Yugi?!" his grandpa moaned upon seeing him enter.

"Stop, please don't hurt him," Yugi cried, and carefully he walked up to the vampire. "Please don't kill him," and he took a step closer to his Grandpa that was breathing heavily at the vampire's feet.

"And what exactly makes you think that you can stop me?" the vampire asked. He wore a dark expression, one Yugi could not understand.

"Because, I'll do anything you ask. Just leave him alone," he pleaded, sniffling. "He's all I have and I can't lose him too."

"No, Yugi! Just leave! Run away before they hurt you!" Grandpa shouted, and Yugi let out a shout as his Grandpa winced, shouting in pain when the vampire reached down and tightened his grip around his throat the second those words left his mouth.

"You will do anything I say?" the vampire asked, staring hard at Yugi, and with just a second of hesitation, Yugi nodded.

"Anything."

* * *

"Atem, you better not dare!"

Pulling his eyes away from the boy, Atem looked at Kaiba who burst through the door, a weary and anxious Bakura right behind him.

"Don't do anything stupid," Bakura warned.

Atem just glared darkly at them.

"Do not tell me what to do. Just shut up," he ordered, and both of their eyes widened. He returned his gaze to Yugi who was looking at them, fear radiating off of him in waves.

Atem's heart swelled.

"In exchange for his life, I will drink your blood in his place." Atem stated, and he did not break his gaze. He watched those purple eyes as they shot open, the boy taking a step back. His mind was a bit fuzzy, his eyes were a bit dazed and his entire system on the inside did something funny, but he ignored the warning feelings. He smiled at Yugi. "Is that a deal?"

"Atem!?" Turning around, Atem looked at Kaiba who spoke yet again, coming closer, confusion and anger written all over his face. Probably realising that he was being too loud, Kaiba whispered. "What are you doing? I thought…" and he paused, struggling to form sentences. His eyes closed and then opened. "It is against our code, the one you created. Then why, why are you so interested in taking him?" And once again Kaiba was stopped from saying more when Yugi spoke, his decision made.

"Alright. Just do it. Take me."

Atem smirked with triumph and shot the look towards Kaiba who continued to stare at him with disbelief. He walked towards Yugi, bloodied footprints being left in his place with each step.

"Atem… please stop," Kaiba said again, but Atem didn't listen. His cousin's words seemed to be on a different land. Nothing made sense to him. All he could see were those purple eyes and that hair, the innocence that radiated of his form like another person he knew.

"Atem! If you're doing what I think you're doing, let me tell you. It is not going to change anything, idiot!" Bakura yelled. "There's no point!" but Atem just kept his gaze locked on Yugi. He watched him shiver in fear, and that made Atem step even closer. His mind continued to block out whatever Bakura and Kaiba were telling him.

"Do not worry. I am just going to… turn him…" Atem said quietly, his eyes refusing to move from the boy, and he leaned down to the trembling boy's neck. Those eyes snapped shut the moment he leaned in, but it was no matter. Atem's hand pulled the boy's head back, and seeing the creamy skin, his seemingly hypnotized expression was replaced with one filled with care. Slowly, closing his eyes, his fangs bared themselves and grazed across the stiff with fear skin.

"Why are you doing this?! Please, I am begging you to stop!" Kaiba shouted, but Atem was already lost.

"Yugi, don't do it!" the old man yelled, getting to his feet, and instantly Atem turned around and hissed at him. Giving one look back towards Bakura and Kaiba who were staring at him with worry and anger, Atem turned away and did not hesitate to sink his teeth into the young boy's neck.

Instantly Yugi's legs buckled under the pain, but Atem held him up by wrapping his arms around his waist and holding him tightly. He sucked lightly and carefully, all the while dwelling in the fluids that pooled out of the skin. It did not take long for the boy to convulse and then go limp in his arms from shock. Pulling back, Atem healed the skin with a little lick and just held him gently, looking at the closed eyes and long lashes.

"Yugi!" the old man yelled, and as he ran forward, Kaiba and Bakura stopped him in his tracks before turning back to Atem.

"What have you done?" Bakura asked quietly, disappointment and sadness laced in his words, but Atem did not reply. He just held the boy in his arms, using his hand to ease the spot where he had bitten like a mother healing their child's injury.

"He made a deal," Atem then decided to answer, his words coming out soft and slow. "Besides, we need more recruits if we plan on obtaining a big enough group to get our clan and our status back."

"Since when did you care about getting the clan back together?" Kaiba asked steely, and his blue eyes burned into Atem's red ones. "That is just an excuse. You and I both know the real reason why you did what you did."

"You are the one reading this wrong. It is nothing like that," Atem said, and his eyes bored just as harshly into Kaiba's ones. Anger swelled up on the inside as he tried to figure out what Kaiba was hinting at. In the end though, it did not matter what they thought. He was in charge, and only he knew the reason. Not them. They could think whatever they wanted to think.

"I just knew that he would be a perfect addition. I can sense something within him," Atem shot back, and lightly he sat Yugi on the floor.

"No, you are just being foolish," Bakura stated. "You just killed this boy to soothe that pain you have from being-"

"Shut up!" Atem yelled, and his eyes glowed brightly as he shot daggers at Bakura. "Just shut up. You know nothing, so I suggest you stay quiet."

Bakura was about to shoot him a reply of his own, but was stopped by Kaiba who looked at him with a knowing expression. Nothing they said would get through the veil Atem had put around himself.

Atem pulled away from eyeing them when Yugi awoke, groaning and bending over. Atem kneeled down and held him tightly, rubbing the boy's back in circles for a few moments soothingly before picking him up and standing.

"Do not worry, the after effects will wear off soon," Atem whispered, and as Yugi turned to him in a daze, everyone watched with shock as Yugi's purple eyes glowed brightly. His Grandpa gasped as he saw the glowing eyes and his grandson's trance-like state.

"Let's go," Atem ordered. "We are done for tonight." And taking a few steps, he turned around to see Kaiba and Bakura still glaring at him before eventually, stiffly, following behind him with a nod.

"You demons, you'll pay for this!" Grandpa yelled, standing, and looking at the three of them Atem stopped once more to smirk at him.

"We will see," he said. And with that, he sped off, Kaiba and Bakura casting a pitied look at the frantic and shocked man before running off as well, disappearing into the night.

Atem looked at the boy who clutched him unknowingly as he slept, the two holes in his neck closing by the second. Warmly, Atem smiled at him before hiding him away in his jacket where he would not be seen by others. He hugged him as if his life depended on it, and he could see Kaiba and Bakura running quietly beside him. Feeling a pang of guilt as they reached the forest, Atem looked at them.

"I just wanted-"

"Stop it," Bakura snapped. "We don't want to hear it. You think you did well for all of us by killing him? Let me tell you that you're just lying to yourself. You know the reason, and frankly, it's quite selfish and hypocritical of you."

"You did not want to kill children for a reason, Atem," Kaiba continued. "Yet now you go off and kill this child just because he reminds you of…" he grunted, unable to go on.

"It is not because of that!" Atem shouted. "It's not…" and he looked at Yugi once more to see the purple, devastated eyes looking up at him, still not in complete focus. "I did not do it because of that."

His voice did not sound so sure, and the two other vampires did not bother trying to fight him anymore on the matter. They were forced to be quiet, stay silent, desperately trying to ignore it even though the truth swam between them all, none taking it in so that it flew through their mouths.

* * *

 **And that's the end of another chapter. Quick question… Are they flowing together properly? Does it seem like an entire fic or does it still seem separate? I tried my best though, and I'm loving these chapters even more.**

 **Thanks for reading. I do hope you enjoyed it. Please review!**

 **Bye~**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey everyone! I'm back with another chapter. I hope you all like it, and thank you for the wonderful reviews. I will try my best to stop the chapters from seeming so separate, because I know it was a minor issue last chapter. I do want to make this story successful and as well written as I can. So please, I encourage you all to review and tell me what you think. Anyways…**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

A Vampire's Kill

Chapter 3

* * *

 _One year later…_

"Just like we taught, got it?"

Yugi nodded firmly.

Darkness consumed the sky in mere seconds as soon as the sun dusked behind the trees which were swooshing back and forth due to the cold, October wind. Tiny chatter of the wild animals and the small flapping of birds could be heard before they disappeared into the trees without another sound. An owl's hoot echoed through the night a few times, and the running paws on the ground caused small tree branches to break under the little creatures' weight. Branches smacked together, causing shadows to dance against the trees.

In the clearing, the fire cackled with small flames.

"The trick is to be sneaky and attack when they least expect it."

"Or be like me and bask in glory as their screams pierce the air in horror just moments before you suck them dry."

"Do not do what he says."

"Hey!"

"Yugi, the point is to have fun. This is our night, so play as much as you want."

"That's literally what I just said."

"It was nowhere close, you moron."

Purple irises looked up at the bickering two that stood in front of him. They were tall, cunning, and extremely dangerous. That much he had understood from the year of training with them. Since he was a new vampire, it was up to them to train him and it was his duty to follow their orders.

"Yugi."

His eyes flashed and his body stiffened when he heard the name fly through the air. His name, which was given to him by his joy and adventure filled Grandpa. However, in one year the name was tainted by the new worth it had become. The fun, little "game", turned into a deadly one. A game which meant to survive and treat your food as a toy, and kill as if the world was your playground. You ruled, you won, and you had to be the master of that game. Or else, you will lose. Not just the game, but your life.

Yugi looked up, eyes landing on the third vampire that approached slowly with a little smile.

"Tonight is the night. Are you ready?"

"Atem, he is definitely ready," Kaiba declared, and fidgeting slightly, Yugi looked up to stare at the King who was admiring him from head to toe, completely satisfied as to how he had grown in a year. Without looking away from him, Atem replied.

"I believe so."

During his trainings throughout the year, Yugi had gotten used to the stares and appreciative smiles Atem gave him. Atem would even admit it out loud to himself. He would say that he loved how his purple eyes glowed in the dark, the flames reflecting in his irises making his face light up like the fire burning beside them. Hell, he had said those very lines just a few minutes ago. He had learned to ignore the King's weird behavior though, one which would upset most people. Kaiba just said that it was because Atem liked him. Not in that sense, however.

Wearing a black, leather jacket, buckled boots with black jeans tucked into them, it seemed as if he was part of the gang. A simple, long-sleeved black top could be seen underneath the jacket, a belt looped around his hips which held a dagger in the back in case of a surprise attack from unwanted enemies. And, it was all because Atem _insisted_ he wear them. The King was apparently a fashionista too, and took his time making sure he looked great.

Currently he watched the familiar smile that graced Atem's lips with boredom. That smile came frequently during the year, and from what Yugi understood, it meant that Atem was congratulating himself for making the right choice in turning him.

"So, what's the plan for tonight?" Bakura asked, and lazily he stood next to him with his hands shoved deep into his pockets. Yugi instantly relaxed. Regular conversation was a sign that training was complete.

He looked back and forth between the three and he watched as Atem lifted his head. It was amazing. Atem really did look like royalty when he was serious.

"The regular plan obviously."

A grunt was heard. "I am not too sure about that plan," Kaiba said, and he leaned against a crooked tree and eyed Atem. "The clan is against us. Actually, no, they are against you. This idea the clan came up with; to hunt together, is probably just a ruse to get you so they can chop your head off and officially claim your throne."

Yugi watched as Atem rolled his eyes at his cousin's statement. Atem never did take Kaiba's opinions very seriously. He understood, sure, but never showed it. And they called Kaiba prideful? Atem was a hundred times worse.

"I think I have been in hiding long enough."

"Are you being serious?" Bakura let out an amused laugh before looking at Atem. "Let's not forget what drove you into hiding three hundred and fifty years ago in the first place."

Atem scowled and shot Bakura a glare. "That was then. I believe it is time for their leader to take his place in court once more. They made a mistake and paid for it. They would be foolish to pull such a stunt again."

Awkwardly, Yugi watched in silence as Bakura shook his head and Kaiba looked away in annoyance. It was a waste of time trying to reason with Atem. Once Atem set his mind on something, it was impossible to change it.

Yugi sat down on a log, watching the interaction amongst the three vampires. During the year he had been with them, he had come to understand the problem they had been facing. The talk of getting back together with the clan came up a few months after he was turned, and he would watch as Bakura and Kaiba tried desperately to reason with Atem. He had not understood what was going on at the time because he was angry at them for turning him, but after realising he was never going to be normal again and that he was stuck with them, he gave into their teachings and tried to understand them.

Three hundred and fifty years ago the clan apparently tried to overrule and assassinate their King - Atem. Atem had escaped and was forced to go into hiding for over thirty years until Bakura and Kaiba finally found him.

Kaiba and Bakura were Atem's best friends and his most trusted partners during his rule. Kaiba was his cousin, making him a direct relation, and Bakura… he still was not sure where Bakura fit in. But, they were the most powerful and well-respected beings amongst the vampires, thus making the two seem like kings as well. That was why it came as no surprise to others when the two went out to search for him. After the three teamed up again, they went back to the clan immediately for revenge. They killed at least half of the vampires and all the head vampires for plotting against their King.

After the incident, the clan disbanded, and having nothing left, the three went into exile and hunted in secrecy ever since.

Now, it seemed that Atem's clan had actually regrouped during the years and sent a worldwide, blood message in hopes of it reaching their King since they had no idea where he was. The message that was spread among the vampires said that the clan wanted to reunite with their King once more, and as a welcoming gift, they would all hunt together like they usually did. Atem did indeed receive the message, however, Kaiba and Bakura were and still are against the idea while Atem was completely ready to go back.

Yugi shuddered. He had never come across the other vampires before. He only knew these three all his undead life, and it was pretty obvious Atem was not going to listen to his companions. Although he was not asked, Yugi agreed with Kaiba and Bakura. Even he understood that what Atem wanted to do was foolish. Atem was ready to jump back into the nest that tried to kill him way too quickly. And in vampire time, three hundred and fifty years was too quickly.

"We will be going in a few minutes to meet with them, alright?" Atem said, ordered, and he turned around to glance at them.

"Atem, I still say that you should reconsider this decision," Kaiba pleaded once more.

"Kaiba, he won't listen so don't waste your breath," Bakura stated flatly. "When all this comes back to bite him in the hide, well… we told him so."

"Would you be quiet?!" Atem shouted. His hands were clenched in a fist, his shout ringing across the eerily, quiet forest. Yugi watched as Atem turned to Bakura and Kaiba in a second and glared at them, trying to desperately keep his anger under control. Yugi flinched at the anger. He also learned the King had a mighty temper. Bakura may be the rude one, but he did not explode so easily. Bakura used rude sarcasm that pisses people off to get his way, or to just feel "smug and superior", as he puts it.

"I get it, alright?" Atem began. "I am just not worried because if they try something like that again, I will make them pay very dearly. I would not spare a single one of them. I am not stupid, and they are not either since they know what I will do to them if I am betrayed once more. So, let us stop whining about it and just go. If it is a trap they want to set, so be it. We can take them any day as long as we are together. Got it? Or…" he smirked at the two, "do you doubt your own abilities?"

Silence was what he got in return, Bakura and Kaiba looking elsewhere with a hint of anger written on both of their faces, and seeing this, Yugi grit his teeth and his hands formed fists themselves.

Atem was the King. What he said, goes. But, he was not in his castle. Atem was with his friends that stood by him when he was all alone. These were the two that fought and argued and took care of him like family. Then why? Why were they forced to stay silent and listen to everything he said? Yugi could actually see them swallow their words, defeated. If they talked back and did not listen, sure, Atem would get mad. They have done it before. Atem would not kill them. He had actually grown to like the two, so seeing them so submissive only made him more aware of the fact that there were a lot of things he was not aware of. But, they said nothing whenever he asked as to why they bowed to whatever Atem said.

"Good. Now, let us go," Atem stated, and he turned around.

Yugi went stiff as Atem laid his blood red eyes on him, and he had had no choice but to walk towards him after he signalled with a finger to approach. The King took his hand, and waiting for just a few seconds, he took off with Yugi tight in his grasps.

Yugi had always been slow since he had troubles keeping up with them during training, so Atem would take his hand and just start running, forcing Yugi to match his pace. It was difficult and he stumbled many times, but Atem was surprisingly kind to him. He doted on him which Yugi could see made Kaiba and Bakura uneasy at times. That was another thing he could not understand. The King was so kind to him, it felt as if Atem was treating him like a brother he never had.

The last thing Yugi saw before everything turned into blurs was Kaiba and Bakura sharing a conflicted look with each other before they took off running.

* * *

On the far edge of the forest, the two of them finally stopped. Standing still, they both gazed upon the ancient, Victorian mansion that stood before them. It was shrouded in darkness, the place looking completely deserted in the isolated location.

Yugi gulped, taking a step back from the building, only to stop when he felt Atem clench his hand reassuringly, looking up at the mansion with determination. Just a second later, Kaiba and Bakura arrived. They stood still and silently behind them, still not saying anything after Atem had shouted at them.

"Let us enter," Atem said, and without turning he began to make his way up the stairs to the front door, and Yugi could not help but allow himself to be pulled in.

Yugi watched worriedly as Atem pushed the door open and just stepped inside. He had to admit that he admired Atem for his bravery. If he was a real human, the vampire King might have been his role model, minus the fact that he was so strict, cold, odd, quirky, and pushy at times.

Just as Atem pushed the door open, a single man was seen standing there. Yugi's eyes widened when he saw the creepily calm expression on the man's face. The smile on the tanned skin made him feel uneasy, and he did not like it a single bit.

"Welcome back, my King," the man said smoothly, dropping down to a knee before Atem.

Atem said nothing, simply raising his head higher in authority. The man was forced to gaze up at Atem's proud and determined posture with his lavender eyes, a hint of amusement hidden in them.

Yugi stared at the man. His fashion sense was refined, just like his personality. He wore loose, but form-fitting black pants with belts which looped around his waist, followed by a deep purple, sleeveless top that glimmered when the dusty chandelier that hung above shone on it. The man also wore pulled up sleeves, sort of like a glove, that ended just a bit above is elbow which was held in place by more buckles and an assortment of gold jewellery. His fangs sparkled when he smiled, and Yugi gulped back his fear when the man looked straight at him.

"Marik," Atem addressed. "I see that you have not changed a bit."

The man named Marik smiled wider. "Why, of course not. We wouldn't want to confuse you when you returned, now would we?" He bowed once more. "I have to thank you for accepting our invitation. We heard nothing from you and thought that you wouldn't come. I'm glad you-"

"Alright, that's enough of you, Marik! Where are the others?" Bakura snapped as he entered the mansion hastily, and all his face held was disgust and hatred.

Marik's eyes gleamed with glee as he saw Bakura. "Bakura, you're alive. I've been so worried about you."

Yugi watched as Bakura stepped back with an annoyed growl when Marik attempted to hug him. Marik then pouted and gave Kaiba a cheeky smile also. "Well, it seems the three of you managed to meet. My, quite the close niche of friends we have here."

"You are in the presence of the King, Marik. Show some respect," Kaiba warned.

Marik rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah."

Atem clicked his tongue in irritation, and the sound made Yugi look up at him. Only then did he realise he was still holding Atem's hand, and when he tried to pull away, Atem just held it tighter.

"You really have not changed at all. Neither did this place. It is filthy." Atem looked around the grand hall they were in. Everywhere was cloaked in the shadows and dust littered the floor in thick heaps. Cobwebs hung from the ceiling and the furniture, and whatever was left remained in the same position. A natural haunted house was what it was. Atem turned to look at Marik. "Where is everyone?"

Marik shrugged. "Some split years ago and those that returned are upstairs getting ready for tonight."

Atem's eyes slanted. "We have to leave now. It is already nightfall so get them all down here right away!"

"No can do. I've had a hard time controlling them these days. I have no idea what to do anymore," Marik said plainly. "That's why I was excited to have you back. Surely your presence will knock the stubbornness right out of them."

Before Atem could say anything, Kaiba opened his mouth first. Yugi watched with wide eyes as Kaiba grabbed Marik by the shirt and gripped him tightly. "This better not be a trap," he growled dangerously. "If anything happens, I will slay you myself."

Marik smiled. "I called for you, haven't I? If it was a trap, I wouldn't have done so. You guys can trust me."

"I won't trust you even if my life depended on it," Bakura grumbled. Marik just flashed him a toothy grin before looking at Yugi.

"You trust me, don't you little newbie?" Marik asked, getting down closer to his face. Yugi stepped back and didn't say a word. Marik sighed as he stood back into proper position, scowling a bit. "Fine. It seems no one trusts me these days."

"Give us a good reason why we should trust you," Kaiba challenged, arms crossed.

"I stayed back and volunteered to control this clan, haven't I? That should be enough. I know what's going on. There is no siege, another attack, or whatever it is you all are so worked up about. Trust me," Marik explained.

They all looked at Marik silently until Bakura broke the silence. "Fine, but one screw up and your head would be on the ground faster than you can blink."

Marik smiled, flipping his hair back. "Got it."

Yugi watched uneasily as Bakura glared at Marik some more to get his point across before turning to Kaiba to see if he was right in trusting Marik. Yugi did not get to see what Kaiba's response was because at the same moment he heard a blade being unsheathed. Quickly he spun around to have brown eyes meet his purple ones, and without hesitating he pulled out his dagger to block the attack, but was too late.

"No!" a voice screamed out, and suddenly he found himself urgently turned around and pulled into a protective embrace. In a split second he heard Atem gasp and groan, and the man slumped against him a bit. With his heart in his throat, Yugi pushed back and turned around to hold Atem up.

"Traitor!" Yugi heard Bakura scream, and looking towards them he could see that Bakura had grabbed Marik and pulled out his blade while Kaiba had the attacker's head rolling on the ground a second later.

"I swear, Bakura! I had no idea!"

"You have to do better than that!"

Taking his gaze off of them, Yugi tried to hold Atem up and slowly they sunk to the ground. With his arms wrapped around him, a painful chill ran up his spine and his entire body when he felt a dagger sticking out of Atem's back.

"Atem!" Yugi cried, and hearing Atem wheezing, he pulled away a bit to reach closer and yank the knife out of Atem's back before sliding it across the room.

"A-Are you okay?" Yugi desperately asked, and fearfully he looked at the King's face.

Atem nodded, trying to get up only to fall back down in pain. Yugi panicked, trying to stop the bleeding with his hands but to no avail. "Kaiba! What do I do?!" he shouted, frantically trying to stop Atem's bleeding and looking at Kaiba for some help.

Kaiba looked at Yugi for a brief moment, but just as the brunet took a step towards him, a swarm of vampires came out of hiding with their daggers, knives, and swords drawn. And just like that, he was ignored. Yugi turned to Bakura and saw that he also had vampires surrounding him, Marik watching the others with astonishment.

"If what you say is true, stop them!" he heard Bakura yell at Marik, and quickly Marik rushed up to the clan.

"What do you think you're doing? I command you to stop!" Marik shouted desperately. The so-called leader of the rioting vampires spoke up.

"We waited long enough for this. It is time we took him down once and for all!"

"I thought you said you wanted him to come back!" Marik yelled.

The vampire grinned. "Yeah, so we could kill him!"

Yugi heard Bakura swear under his breath after hearing that, and quickly he took up the other defence.

"Yugi!" Yugi looked up towards Bakura who had called out to him. "Protect Atem. That's your job," the white head shouted before turning back to the crowd that now surrounded them. "We'll take care of these dolts."

"Yeah, and how are you going to do that? There is a lot more of us than that of you!" the leader of the rioters shouted, his blade in the air.

"If you have forgotten, we had defeated you once before. We can do it again," Kaiba yelled.

"Yeah, but this time your King is crippled. You are at a large disadvantage."

Marik stepped up. "I'll take his place then."

The crowd laughed, but Bakura and Kaiba gave Marik a serious glance. Marik was not as strong as Atem, but he was still a formidable opponent. Knowing that, with a nod of their heads, Yugi watched the three attack.

"Yugi! Aim for their necks. Chop their heads off to kill them!" Kaiba yelled. Instantly Yugi took a fighting position around Atem and glared at the vampires that closed in on him.

"Got it," Yugi said under his breath. _"Time to put my training to the test,"_ and he paid close attention to Atem, and everyone that surrounded them.

The vampires attacked him one by one since Bakura, Marik, and Kaiba made a circle around him and Atem as a first barrier, Yugi being the second and last before they could get to Atem. Even Yugi knew this. Kill the King and next best gets to be King. So these vampires will no doubt try to take out Bakura and Kaiba as well.

Not a lot of them passed the three up front so Yugi got to deal with them a bit easier. One by one they came in, underestimating him and with one slash Yugi had their blood on his dagger and their heads separated from their bodies. He gulped, knowing that it was his official first kill. Blood leaked across the floor like water as Yugi took an aim and slashed a vampire right through his neck, breaking their windpipe and having blood spew everywhere like a disgusting, red fountain. Yugi shook the memory of the dead fountain made with the bones of town people when he was younger out of his head.

No matter the past, he had to atleast try and protect his future. He hated the vampires. A part of him still hated them, but what could he do? He was dead, and that was it. Nothing he could do would make it all feel better. Revenge was not going to help him get everything that he had lost.

When he had arrived, Kaiba had explained it to him with a lost expression, and seeing the sorrow and helplessness, how sorry Kaiba was about everything that had happened, Yugi had to believe him. His killer was Atem. Not Bakura or Kaiba.

Yugi was so caught up in his thoughts that one vampire managed to slip by. He ran to catch the vampire which was heading towards Atem who was slipping in and out of consciousness, and raising his blade Yugi stopped the vampire just in time, wincing when the blood splattered all over Atem and himself. The body dropped to the ground and before he could shove it away he felt someone slam into him. The impact sent him flying through the air and hitting the floor hard on his side, his blade flying out of hands reach

He looked up in shock as the vampire sneered at him and then grabbed him by the shirt to lift him up. The vampire put his knife to Yugi's neck and was about to slit it when the vampires eyes suddenly widened in shock, his head dropping off his neck to the side. Yugi looked up to see Atem holding his sword and breathing heavily, eyelids drooping, swaying on his feet.

"Atem!" Yugi exclaimed and quickly ran up to hold him upright. "I think you should sit down, there-"

"I'm fine!" Atem yelled, and Yugi yelped when Atem lifted his sword and swiped it above Yugi's hair. The thud Yugi heard a second later was enough to tell him that Atem just rescued him once more from getting mauled.

"Kaiba! Marik! Each of you take a staircase and scan for more! Kill them all!" Atem bellowed, and Yugi was pushed behind him as Atem attacked. Yugi, unable to tell Atem what to do was forced to stand behind him, holding his shirt and trying to keep the King from crumpling to the floor. From the corner of his eye he watched as Kaiba and Marik instantly went off to do as told while Bakura stayed below next to Atem.

"Atem, you're bleeding out! You can't weaken yourself!" Bakura yelled.

"I will be fine!"

One by one the vampires dropped like flies. Yugi grimaced at the amount of blood splattered everywhere. It was all over the floor, the walls, even their skin.

"It's all clear upstairs!" Kaiba shouted, running down from the left staircase.

"Clean up here too!" Marik shouted as he dropped down from the right staircase.

"Help clean here then. I'll scour outside!" Bakura shouted.

"Atem...!" Yugi warned, seeing the blood from the wound in his back leak down his arms like a river. "The wound is getting worse. You need to stop," he pleaded desperately. Never before had he seen so much blood shed. It was beginning to make him sick. And from what he learned, Atem should be well on his way to healing. But, the King was getting worse. Just what had those people done to make him this way?

With a cry Atem chopped the last vampire's head off. Yugi could feel the King trembling in pain. Not long after, Atem's sword fell from his grasp and he finally crumpled to the floor much to Yugi's relief, his clothes and hair soaked in the mass puddle of blood.

"Atem!"

"Marik, grab a bandage, cloth, something!" Kaiba desperately yelled out.

"Is he going to be okay?" Yugi asked, quivering fearfully.

Kaiba sighed. Kneeling down he gently cradled Atem's sweat covered face. Atem groaned as Kaiba turned him around to peer at the hole in his back. "I just hope so. Those bastards must have poisoned their blades."

Marik brought a piece of cloth he ripped from the blood stained curtain. Quickly Kaiba used it to tie Atem's wound just as Bakura made his way back in.

"All's clear outside."

They all dropped down next to Atem who was barely hanging on to consciousness. "Hang in there, Atem," Bakura said.

Atem grinned. "Idiot. I will be fine. I just need to rest. It will heal pretty fast."

"Like hell. You've been poisoned, and it is only getting worse. What was the need to come into the battle? You were wounded so you should have stayed out of it," Kaiba scolded. "It wouldn't have spread this much."

Atem grunted. "Yeah, well, Yugi needed help."

Bakura grumbled. "I can't believe you're still thinking about that. You could have gotten yourself killed!"

Atem growled, shaking his head stubbornly. "Well I could not let them kill Yugi!"

"No, not Yugi! You were thinking of your brother again! Stop it. It's over. You cannot save everyone!" Kaiba shouted, but Atem pushed Kaiba's hand away and sat up with a moan of pain. Yugi on the other hand felt his body go cold at the revelation.

Brother?

"You are unbelievable!" Kaiba shouted, watching as Atem stood up.

"Let us go. It is after one and we still have not fed. Once I feed I will be fine. So, c'mon," Atem said calmly as he walked out the doors.

"Fool," Kaiba growled, but grudgingly he followed closely in case Atem collapsed.

"Marik, let's go. Come, Yugi," Bakura said and followed them out.

Marik looked at Yugi, and sensing that he was being watched, Yugi looked into the lavender eyes that were filled with a heavy amount of understanding.

"You didn't know, huh?" the blond asked. "These guys… they don't say anything." He shook his head. "I know you have questions, but wait. Now is not the time for them to be answered," he explained, and cautiously, Yugi nodded and ran after the three after Marik ushered him out.

There was still so much he needed to know about the vampires. That was part of the reason he stayed with them. Hopefully soon he will get to understand more about them, and more about Atem since it was clear now that there were many things he did not know.

It would all take time to come out into the open.

A lot of time.

* * *

 **I really, really like this chapter. I hope you like is as well.**

 **Review please. And thank you for reading. :D**


	4. Chapter 4

**Ah! I'm so happy that I've uploaded again. I'm glad to see that you all are enjoying this story, so please continue to shower your support. I thank you all for the reviews you have sent, and now that I'm out of my writer's block, I hope the updates will be more consistent. I begin writing the next chapter for the next story as soon as I update. Or, I will try to do so. Anyways, I hope you like this chapter, and don't worry. You will get to see the process of Yugi's training throughout this chapter and possibly the next.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

A Vampire's Kill

Chapter 4

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" _No, no, I don't want to do it!" Yugi cried, sitting on the log in the familiar clearing of the three vampires. As the small campfire cackled in the dark, Kaiba and Bakura stood and watched the scene as it unfolded with concern. With his hands in his lap, tears ran down Yugi's face while Atem kneeled in front of him, a cup filled with blood held before the boy._

" _Yugi, please, you need to drink this. You will get sicker if you do not feed," Atem desperately tried to explain, but the boy refused to listen._

" _I don't want to," Yugi said once more, and through his watery eyes he glanced at Atem who had nothing but worry on his face._

" _Atem," Kaiba said, and he stepped forward to grab Atem's attention by putting a hand on his shoulder. When Atem looked at him, he continued. "He is new at this. Giving him a big dose of blood like that and putting it in front of his face is not going to do him any good. He is scared."_

" _Then what do you want me to do?!" Atem snapped, and at that Kaiba quickly responded._

" _I think smaller doses should be less intimidating."_

 _Sighing, Atem looked down at the cup and then back at Yugi who had begun to shake with fear. It had been two days since he had turned the boy, and so far he had not taken a single sip. He needed the blood to survive, and since he had only recently been turned, he was supposed to be giving in to his urges. However, Yugi was resisting, and the resistance was now bringing about dire consequences. Looking at the boy's deathly pale skin, Atem put down the cup and took Yugi's hand after pulling off his gloves. He got closer to the boy, sitting on the log as well, and wrapping an arm around the boy he ushered Kaiba to pour some of the blood into his palm. Now that it was much smaller and less fearful looking, Atem brushed away Yugi's hands that covered his face and put his palm closer to the boy's lips. Yugi looked up at him, the fear still there in his eyes._

" _Drink," Atem said softly, and when Yugi tried to squirm away, he tightened his hold around his body and drained the blood in his palm against the boy's lips. All he had to do was make Yugi come into contact with the liquid, and after that, he would be drinking on his own. Too bad that he had to force it into the boy._

 _With a shout coming from Yugi, Atem finally pulled away as the boy spat the blood out of his mouth, but the deed had been done. One lick was all it took to get Yugi's eyes glowing brightly again, and like an addict Yugi licked the rest on his face before dashing towards Atem to have more of the taste. Once he had cleaned Atem's hand, Bakura promptly handed Yugi the cup with a blank look, and they all watched as the boy scarfed it all down._

 _He was going to be fine now._

* * *

"Careful," Bakura said sharply as Yugi stumbled as they walked through the forest, the harsh movement causing Atem to jerk sideways. Atem groaned in pain, and anxiously Bakura held on to him, trying to keep him upright while Yugi tried his best to keep him standing.

They had started off running a few hours ago to get home, but as Atem's condition continued to deteriorate, they had to slow down. His body was not healing fast enough to fight off the attacks of the poison that had infected the blade which stabbed him, and with the sun only an hour or two away from rising, they had to move as fast as they could. The sun did not kill them, but it did leave a nasty burn on their body the longer they remained under it.

"Here, Yugi, let me carry him," Marik said, and they stopped once more to allow him to exchange spots with the odd man who had chosen to follow them back home. As Yugi shadowed them, he looked up ahead in search of Kaiba who had ran up in a fit of anger.

Kaiba was, and still was, completely against the idea of Marik going with them because he thought that he was not to be trusted so easily. They were taking him to their hideout that kept them away from the eyes of other vamps for hundreds of years! That was also a reason as to why they were running so short on time. Marik and Kaiba had argued for a very long time until Atem gave another order, one that Kaiba had no choice but to obey. Marik would go with them. With the excuse of preparing medications to heal Atem, Kaiba left, hopefully to cool down.

They were already nearing their bunker so they no longer rushed to get away from the sun's rays. Staring up as the clearing came into view, Yugi felt at peace once he saw Kaiba. The blue eyed vampire was standing above the trap door that was hidden underneath the large boulder he liked occupying when they were out during the day. The door was swung open, and he gave them a single glance before heading into the darkness.

"Watch the steps, Marik. They are quite narrow," Atem said quietly as they began to step down into the earth with his head resting against Bakura's shoulders, and Yugi jumped slightly when Bakura turned to him to give him an order.

"Close the latch," Bakura said, and after entering, Yugi turned around and pulled the trap door closed. He turned to the wall and twisted the lever which dragged the rock back into its spot, hiding the trap door from any wanderers above. Hearing the stone dragging across the earth before stopping directly above them, Yugi tested the door by pushing again it, and when it did not move, he knew they were good to go.

Running down the cobbled steps, the torches on the gray stone wall coming alive as he set them ablaze with a lighter, he reached the bottom of the stairs and stopped for a second before rushing through the living area that had nothing but a vintage looking couch, a few chairs, and a small table. A red, tattered carpet covered part of the floor, and it slid across the stone as he dashed over it and into the hallway on his left that led to the bedrooms. There were six, dark, wooden doors in the gray hallways with another long, red runner flowing through the hallway. One of the doors were open, the last one on the right, and Kaiba was the one who stood at its entrance, just about to step in. He stopped and waited once he saw Yugi approaching. He looked a lot calmer, Yugi noticed.

"Is he going to be okay?" Yugi asked as he walked past him and into the room, and he heard Kaiba give a withering sigh before responding.

"He should be fine. Once we clean out the poison, he should begin healing faster. An hour or two at most should do the trick," Kaiba explained, and Yugi looked on as Kaiba walked forward and seated himself behind Atem after Bakura and Marik sat him down, facing the door. Yugi remained still and quiet as Atem looked up at him, giving a tiny, reassuring smile.

"Do not worry, Yugi. I will be fine," Atem said, and Yugi flinched when Atem groaned sharply as Kaiba forced him to sit up straighter.

"Careful," Atem said quickly once Kaiba began pulling off his jacket and shirt, and Yugi found himself drawn to the blood that littered the man's skin. Atem noticed this and continued to stare at him with the same smile on his face as Kaiba began the process of cleaning his wound with the tools he produced from the bag he had brought in. Breaking his gaze away from the blood, Yugi sunk down on the wooden chair next to the door and willed his eyes to stare at his hands.

The King could be so creepy sometimes, but yet he was the one who had become the addict. He could not deny it any longer. He loved the taste of blood running down his throat, just like a true vampire. Although it pained him, as soon as he bit into an animal, his guilt was gone and replaced with a feeling akin to euphoria. How would he be, when he would finally take his first sip of human blood?

Staring at his shoes, Yugi allowed his eyes to wander and remove his thoughts from the way he was thinking. He would have to wait another year, so it was alright, for now. Taking a deep breath, he trailed his eyes across the rest of the bunker. This place was their home, and now his new one. Raggedy mats covered the floors with only a few furniture filling the space up. The carpet in Atem's room was a cream coloured one with red roses and golden vines decorating it. The carpet was set halfway underneath the iron framed, queen sized bed, and at its foot was a trunk that remained sealed with a big lock. It was rare for him to enter the King's room. He had only done so two times before throughout the year, and this would be the third. Nothing changed. Two wooden, square nightstands, each plain. A worn out looking work table, and a big cupboard that held his clothes. No doubt there were just more jackets and shirts, and whatever other jewellery the King had an interest in. Shoes included.

"What are you thinking about, little one?" a voice said quietly from beside him, and he looked up to see Marik. The long, bleach hair coloured man dragged up a stool and sat down on it before turning his eyes towards the three surrounding the bed. Atem was looking at Bakura with a teasing expression on his face, while Bakura just glared at him, refusing to break his stance. Kaiba however glanced at the two for a second before scowling to himself, and then evilly nicking a part of Atem's skin which caused him to cry out. Bakura finally let out a smirk.

"Did Atem really have a brother?" Yugi whispered, the words barely slipping past his lips, and slowly he turned his head towards Marik. He could see Marik's jaw clenching, and he looked on as his violet eyes closed then opened before turning to his direction. Marik gave a small smile after another, self-reassuring blink.

"I don't think I'm supposed to talk about that," Marik said lowly, trying to not let the others hear, so Yugi paid full attention whilst keeping an eye on the other three who were apparently supposed to be oblivious of them sharing this information. "If the King finds out that I said anything, especially since I just came here and he's taken me under his wing for now, he's going to kick my ass- I mean, butt, right back to wherever I came from. Or," Marik shrugged, "he might slaughter me. I don't know. He probably got more creative over the years, though-"

"What are you doing?!"

Just like that, Yugi and Marik both jumped out of their skins and spun their heads back around after hearing the tone of Kaiba's voice. Busted, they thought, only to relax when they saw that Bakura had his arms crossed, an angry frown on his face, while Atem looked to the ground with a disgusted expression on his own features. Kaiba stared at the two warningly, his actions stilled to deal with the two who were seemingly being too immature for such a time. Seeing as they were finally going to be quiet, Kaiba resumed cleaning up the blood from Atem's skin, and the King hissed from pain but grounded his teeth together.

"They're still like that, huh?" Marik whispered to him with a smile on his face, and Yugi shrugged in response. He wasn't sure if they were always like that with each other, but from what he had seen during the year, they had always been close like that, fighting and arguing playfully before getting into terrible brawls.

"He did have a brother," Marik suddenly said, and Yugi turned back to stare at him. "But, you didn't hear it from me. If you want to know more, try wiggling it out of those two," and he gestured towards Bakura and Kaiba with a nod of his head. "They can tell you everything you want to know about the King, and they won't get killed for it."

Yugi sighed, and he bit the inside of his mouth as his eyes fell back to stare at his hands. Marik was right, about Atem not killing those two. But, most importantly, the King did have a brother. He wasn't mistaken at all. Though, what did Kaiba mean when he said that Atem couldn't save everyone? Did something happen to his brother to make the King the way he was? And when Atem rescued him earlier… was he making up for something he couldn't do in the past? That had to be it. It wasn't uncommon or hard to understand. Even humans did it. Yugi's eyes widened when another thought crossed his mind. He looked up at Atem to see him putting another black shirt on before getting to his feet. A glance was thrown towards him as Atem shoved his hands through the sleeves, and this time Yugi couldn't pull away from the gaze.

Did Atem turn him because he reminded him of his brother?

As Atem stepped towards him, Yugi found himself standing unconsciously as the King put his hands on both his shoulders and steered him towards the door. Silently the others followed, and it did not take another moment before Yugi found his hand clasped in the King's own hand.

"Were you worried about me, Yugi?" Atem asked, looking down at him, and once more Yugi turned away to stare at the floor. He never did speak with Atem much throughout the year either, even though Atem spoke nonstop to him. Atem though never seemed bothered with his lack of words.

"See, I'm fine!" Atem went on happily, and he turned to the right, the opposite side of the living area to step into the kitchen. "All I need to do is feed, and I will be good as new. Okay?" and he playfully ruffled his hair.

"Just take it easy, alright?" Kaiba said, and he walked past them to open the cellar-like door that was in the corner. "You are still not fully healed. The poison is out, but it will take a while for your healing system to kick back in."

Yugi watched as Kaiba reached down into the cellar and pulled out a few clear containers, and from the red liquid that swished inside, it was obvious that it was blood.

He had also come to learn throughout the years that their home did not use a single smidge of electricity. Everything was natural, the proof that these three were still living in the old ages. They lit their home using flames, got fresh air during the night when they would go out, and candles were used in their bedrooms and were blown out as they went to sleep. Kaiba loved collecting candles. He would especially go out on rainy days when the sun was not out and go shopping. He still was not sure where they got the money from, but it was Kaiba's way of accessorising the home they lived in. But together, they despised the smell of rotting carcasses when it was left too long in the bunker. So, instead of allowing the dead animals to spread their decaying stench in their natural refrigerator, they began using containers and would store the blood like that, quickly burying the bodies in odd places around the forest so no one could track them down.

"I can't believe we didn't get to feed tonight," Bakura grumbled, and he flopped down on one of the wooden chairs at the table and stared with disdain at the container Kaiba slid towards him. "I wanted human blood tonight. Not animal ones, again!" he shouted, and he crossed his arms and folded his legs.

"There is nothing we can do about it now," Atem said softly as he took a seat at the head of the long, polished, dark wooded table. He still held on to Yugi's hand, and as he sat, Yugi saw him grab a nearby chair and pull it a bit closer before moving him towards it and letting him sit on the red cushion. "We would have to feed next year-"

"Why can't we do it tomorrow?!" Bakura shouted from beside him, so Yugi was startled by the outburst. Kaiba growled at the whitehaired man, and turning towards him Yugi noticed the spilt blood around the elegant teacup he was pouring it into. Wiping it off as Bakura huffed some more, he passed it over to Atem who leaned back, crossed his legs, and took a delicate sip.

"Here, Yugi," Kaiba said, and he too was handed a cup, one with soft roses and gold designs. As he stared down at the blood before him, he could not help but feel nostalgic about the whole scene. Unable to see what the contents of the small cups were, it looked as if they were just having tea together. Not blood.

Marik sat on the opposite side next to Kaiba who had then taken a seat after serving everyone, and without hesitating he took a big gulp. Marik quickly followed in his steps, a happy smile on his face as he did so.

"What kind of blood is it?" Marik asked, licking his lips, and as he turned to Kaiba for an answer, he pouted when he was ignored, Kaiba moving away from him to sit next to Bakura.

"Goat blood," Atem said, and looking up Yugi could see him giving Marik a knowing look. "It is thick and pretty dark. It also has a bitter smell and taste to it, so it has to be goat."

"You really do know your blood, my King," Marik said in awe, and at that Yugi looked back at his cup as Atem chuckled.

Wrapping his hand around the glass, his heart speeding up the longer he stared down into the pool of red, Yugi leaned down and took a whiff before downing the blood. In one go the cup was empty, and he didn't put it back down until he was done, the last bits being licked away from his lip.

"Goat blood, is also our Yugi's favourite, isn't it?" Atem said with a proud smile, and as their eyes locked, Yugi could feel all of the others staring straight at him. He gave a single nod before turning away, his eyes glowing with hunger as Atem grabbed the container and refilled his glass.

"You are doing well, Yugi," Atem whispered, and grabbing the cup Yugi brought it to his lips once more as Atem leaned away from him. It was all wrong, but in the end, it never felt more right to him. Sneaking another look at the King who was laughing, prodding Bakura to take a sip and finally grinning in triumph when he managed to get the man to drink, Yugi breathed out deeply as he set the empty glass back down. This was his life now, and he could not run away from it, no matter what the reason for him being this way was.

* * *

 **I hope you all liked this chapter. It gives you a little more insight as to how they live and what they're characters are like.**

 **Please review, and thank you for reading. :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello everyone! Sorry for the delay. I may have uploaded too many stories to take care of… but don't worry! I shall complete all of them! Slowly, but surely! Anyways, thank you for the wonderful reviews! I can't remember if I replied to them, but I shall do so this time around. Sorry! But yes. All of your support means the world to me. I do hope you like this chapter. It's quite long! :D**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

A Vampire's Kill

Chapter 5

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"Get the bloody broom!" Bakura shouted, and Yugi watched as Bakura crouched down on to the floor of the kitchen, his lips twisted into an annoyed frown. As he looked on at the poor sight, Yugi felt just a tiny bit sorry for Bakura who tried to mop the blood up with a rag, growing even more impatient as he came across more pieces of glass.

"Just shut up and wait!" Kaiba hollered back, and he slammed his hand down on the messy sink. He turned his head slightly to glare at Bakura, his face holding a scowl before continuing to angrily wash the few cups that had not been destroyed after whatever chaos took place before they went to bed.

"You know what-" Bakura started again, looking at Kaiba, only to stop midsentence when another voice overpowered theirs, shutting them up instantly.

"Be quiet!"

Atem snapped at the two loudly, sternly, and Yugi jumped at the tone. His head turned to look up at Atem instinctively, only to see the King giving him an amused grin, probably realising that his shout startled him for a second.

"Got scared? Sorry," Atem said, and Yugi found himself forcing back the blush of embarrassment that was making its way on to his face.

Not wanting Atem to notice his expression, Yugi turned away and sunk lower into the dark red couch, ignoring the feeling of Atem's finger. He poked his cheek playfully for a while before returning to the conversation he was in with Marik.

The bleach haired blond vampire was seated on the other couch on their right, he also glancing at the two they could see in the kitchen. He however was not looking at them with pity. If anything, he looked as if he enjoyed seeing them struggle.

Marik eventually turned back to Atem, and Yugi's gaze rose up towards Bakura and Kaiba. He shook his head sadly to himself as he watched Bakura mumble out a hurl of curses under his breath after his bare feet stepped on a shard of glass. And as he observed Kaiba, he could see that the other's t-shirt was soaked, his arms deep in the sink filled with water and suds. The sink… it was on the verge of running over.

Yugi cringed when Kaiba took notice of that and desperately tried to stop the flow – but to no success. He would have gone and helped them clean up, but Atem had forbidden him from taking a step inside the kitchen. Atem made it clear that Bakura and Kaiba had to be punished for doing what they did to his kitchen, so cleaning it all up was their duty. No food for them until it was completed, thus leaving Yugi to watch them helplessly.

The five of them had spent the rest of last night drinking and talking with each other, entertained, with a hint of annoyance from Atem, as Kaiba and Bakura bickered endlessly about… that they still had no idea about. The argument was humorous nonetheless.

However, when the godfather clock in the living room struck its hands at five in the morning, Yugi found himself being ushered to bed by Atem who made it his responsibility to tuck him in, smoothing the bed out and fluffing his pillows while he changed into more comfortable clothes.

After Yugi was in bed, his eyes heavy after the long night, he felt a soft peck at his temple before watching as Atem left for his own room, no doubt to go to sleep himself. Therefore Marik, Kaiba, and Bakura were left in the kitchen to do as they pleased until they turned in for the day as well. And so, he was not that surprised to hear Atem's shout waking them out of bed along with the promise of carrying out all the threats that left his mouth soon after as he called out the said three's names with as much venom and anger Yugi had ever heard.

He had gotten up and stepped out of his room to see what exactly had happened, and as he did he saw the three leaving theirs as well, all of them yawning and rubbing their eyes in their t-shirts and shorts, their disheveled hair sticking out all over their head more than usual. Walking down the hallway behind them, he stopped and stared with curiosity at Atem whose face was red, his arms crossed and black socked foot tapping impatiently on the floor as he glared at them.

" _Clean it, before I kill all of you,"_ he had hissed darkly, causing even Yugi to shiver with fear, all his tiredness gone at the look on the King's face.

He had dared himself to peek into the kitchen to see what could have caused him to react like that, only to have his eyes widen, his jaw slackening in shock. Of course Atem would be vivid. This kitchen was a mess! Cups were strewn on the counter of the sink, there was a puddle of spilt blood on the floor, and the table was littered with drops of blood that was starting to dry on the wood. And to make it even worse, on the floor laid the expensive looking tea cups that Atem treasured, shattered into pieces. When asked, neither of them remembered how the kitchen got like that, and Marik had no explanation either since he swore he went to bed moments after they did, not wanting to be dragged into the argument Bakura and Kaiba were still in the middle of. Atem had murmured sarcastically before storming off that it was, " _another mystery the place would have to hold_."

That was almost twenty minutes ago. Now, here he was, sitting on the couch, the one near the doorway that faced the kitchen, gazing at Kaiba and Bakura who were still undressed, cleaning the kitchen. They were both severely cranky, the glares they were shooting each other far from pretty, and from the looks of it they were about to start arguing again. This time, about whose fault it was now that Atem was annoyed with them.

Sighing, Yugi turned his head away and instead focused on Marik who was speaking.

"Are you really going to leave the hunt for next year, or do it sometime soon?" Marik asked, his body facing Atem who was leaned back, legs stretched out and feet crossed, staring up at the ceiling.

His eyes fell to the raggedy carpet while listening attentively, still watching Bakura and Kaiba through the door of the kitchen as well.

"We really need to hunt, you know. Or atleast they do," Marik continued, and he gestured his head towards the kitchen before glancing at Yugi. Yugi heard the sigh that left Atem's mouth, and he saw the socked feet uncross before the reply came.

"Sometime soon, perhaps," Atem answered simply, and Yugi could feel Atem's arm around his waist, tightening slightly before going slack behind him. Glancing at the King, Yugi saw the faraway look in those crimson eyes. It was a gaze that left him feeling very unsettled. A weight would develop in his chest, sadness and confusion mingling with his thoughts and emotions. He couldn't figure out why. Those eyes reminded him of helplessness.

He sat there, only able to listen to the silence as he heart clenched.

After Marik had told him that Atem once had a brother, suddenly all of Atem's strange, overprotective and caring behaviour that would usually make him uneasy, slowly began to make sense. And the more he thought about all of those moment, he started to understand and see why Atem would behave that way with him. Atem was behaving exactly how a person would behave after losing someone close. That was probably why Atem turned him into a vampire too. To keep the memory of his brother that was now gone, close to him.

Sighing, Yugi brought his arm up to lean it against the armrest of the couch. How can he find out more about why Atem abandoned his Kingdom and retreated into hiding? Everyone else seemed to know what happened, and since this was practically his new family, he deserved to know as well.

Marik had advised him to speak to Kaiba and or Bakura, because they would be able to tell him what was going on without getting into trouble, and it was true. Atem would not throw them out or doing anything horrible to them because they told him. But, why did it have to be that way? Why was it such a big secret? Besides, even if he did talk to them, can he trust them enough to believe that they would not go back to Atem and tell him?

Shoulders slouching, the feeling of disappointing rising within him, almost to the point of just backing down from all of the questions, he was startled once more when a crash came from the kitchen. Looking up, seconds after the clatter, immediately shouts were heard once more from the only two that were in there.

"What did you do?!" Kaiba yelled, his eyes on the broken teacup on the ground, and he returned his gaze to Bakura to whisper heatedly, "You broke Atem's cup!" and nervously Yugi watched as Kaiba glanced Atem's way, only to see the King looking at his shattered cup with a blank expression.

"I'll replace it, I swear," Bakura said quickly after seeing the look, and at that Atem shook his head and returned his eyes to the ceiling.

"Clean it up," Kaiba hissed, and Bakura shot him another glare, throwing the wet rag that he had at the brown haired vampire. Kaiba swiftly dodged it and he walked over to Bakura, ignoring the look that was given to him. He shoved the broom into the other's hand before returning to the sink, leaving Bakura to mutter to himself as he unwillingly began to sweep the glass shards into a pile.

"Those two never change," Marik said to himself, and he looked away, Yugi seeing that his violet eyes fell on to Atem who was zoned out yet again in his own world.

"The rest of the clan is dead, so what are you going to do now, my King?" Marik went on. "Will you ever retake the throne, for good this time?"

Now that was the question that piqued Yugi's interest and had him focusing more on their conversation. Atem was the King, yet for so many years he never really did his duty as King. And, the question to finally go back to their real home… Yugi felt his heart sinking the more he thought about leaving this place that he had grown to love and consider as his new home. It was small, cozy, and he did not want to leave it. Would Atem really go back? He looked over at Atem to see that he was still silent, but after a moment though Atem eventually sat up straighter in his seat to give Marik a fleeting look. A sigh left his lips before he responded.

"Do I have a kingdom to go back to?" he questioned softly, and Yugi could hear that his voice started to get cold as he went on. "Marik, if you have not realised it yet, my entire clan is dead, so why should I go back? My rule is over."

"Atem, your rule is not over," Kaiba suddenly said, and he stepped out of the kitchen, wiping the back of his hands of his wet, soap-covered shirt. They all turned to look at him as he continued. "We are still alive, therefore you are still King. Even if it is just the four of us, making us a small clan, we are here and we are something."

"Besides," Bakura then said, stepping out as well. "You still have responsibilities as King whether or not you have a clan. You have duties towards the rest of the vampire clans out there. And frankly, for the past hundreds of years that you've been in hiding, you haven't been fulfilling them."

Atem scoffed at the mention of the other vampire clans. He crossed his legs, an amused grin breaking out on his face. "The other clans? Really?" he chuckled. "I mean nothing to them, especially now. I am a small King of an even smaller clan. Our rank depends on the number of vampires in the King's clan, and, as you said," Atem leaned forward, "I only have four people left so what is my importance now?! I would not be surprised if they forgot I even existed."

"That's impossible," Kaiba started, only to be stopped when Atem turned to Marik.

"When I was not there, did you or anyone go to the meeting they hold every, what was it again, every ten years on my behalf? At all?!"

"No, but-" Marik said quietly, and Yugi bit his lip to see Marik jump when Atem snapped his head back towards Bakura and Kaiba who was looking at him with mild interest, to see what he could come up with to prove his point.

"See!" Atem shouted, and he leaned back, crossing his arms. "I do not matter to them. All of those other Kings…" Yugi watched as Atem lips pursed together, evident that he was stopping himself from saying the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

Everyone else remained silent, Marik sitting awkwardly where he was now while Bakura and Kaiba left for their rooms, fed up with Atem's antics, to finally get dressed after waking up. Yugi however found himself leaning back, staring at his feet after glancing at Atem. The King did have a point. He did not really have a clan anymore, and after all those years, perhaps the other vampire nobles did forget about him. But, that seemed unlikely.

Yugi had learned throughout the year that Atem used to rule one of the biggest clans in the vampire world. He was once very important. He was the Vampire King before he went into hiding. So, when he suddenly disappeared without a trace, it was odd to just assume that the other nobles would not make an effort to find him and see what had happened to his clan. Why would they not question his absence from those meetings? The sudden disappearance of the biggest vampire clan and none of them bats an eye?

Nothing about the situation felt right.

Yugi took a deep, silent breath. Atem should return and meet with the other nobles. He had to re-establish his role as King and figure out what has been going on. That was the right approach, he believed. But would Atem, if he told him, agree? He did not know much about the vampires yet, so who was he to say?

"Will you atleast return to your rightful home? Won't you go back to the manor?" Marik continued, and at that Atem did not hesitate to reply.

"No."

Hearing a grumble coming from down the hall, Yugi looked up to see Bakura enter the living room, fully dressed in black, loose pants and a dress shirt of the same colour. Grabbing his grey jacket that was hung on the coat rack near the steps, Yugi watched as Bakura stuffed his arms inside the sleeves and put the hood over his head, the hood hiding half of his face.

"Won't the sun burn you," Yugi found himself saying before he could stop, and at his words he saw Bakura look at him. He could also feel Atem's eyes on him.

There was still few hours before sunset, so how did Bakura expect to leave? Besides, was he really going to replace the cups? Yugi bit his lip. Guess Atem had more influence over them than he thought.

A grin made its way on to Bakura's face, and he pulled his hood back down to look at Yugi properly.

"Don't you know? We can still go outside. We just have to block our skin from the sun. There's a reason for the hood you know."

Never hearing of such a fact before, Yugi's eyes widened with surprise. Seeing his expression, Bakura turned to Atem with a raised eyebrow.

"Haven't you taught him anything? Heck, did he even see sunlight ever since you turned him?"

"Bakura, just shut up," Atem snapped, but Yugi looked away from the scowling face and back to Bakura. He felt more empowered knowing that the sun would not really turn them to dust, so he found himself standing a second later.

"Can I go with you?" he asked Bakura, and he casted a pleading and worried gaze towards Atem who was looking at him with bewilderment. "I haven't been in town for so long, and I would just like to go out for a while. Please?" he added.

Atem was hesitating, and whenever he hesitated, Yugi knew that the King did not want him to leave his side. At the same time though Yugi could see that Atem did not want to say " _no"_ to him. Atem was fighting with himself, wondering as to what his answer should be.

Feeling that he was not going to go anywhere without Atem anytime soon, Bakura's impatient voice was the one that stopped him from sitting back down with disappointment.

"Atem, you can't keep shadowing him forever, caging him up like this. Let the kid go!" Bakura exclaimed, and he grabbed Yugi's arm and shoved him towards the steps. "Here, put this on," he said quickly, handing Yugi a jacket and looking for his boots that were in the corner. Bakura used his foot to push them over to him.

Holding the jacket and slowly putting it on while pushing a foot inside his shoes, Yugi looked over at Atem to see him glaring deeply at Bakura. Bakura on the other hand did not seem threatened by the look at all.

"Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to him, alright?" Bakura said, reassuringly. "If something does happen to him, I promise that you won't ever see my face again."

Bakura's words seemed to work because the frown on Atem's face disappeared and was replaced with uncertainty.

"I'll take care of him, trust me," Bakura repeated, and a triumphant smile broke out on his face when Atem finally let out the breath that he was holding throughout it all.

"Fine," he said, and he sat back down after having stood up, hands clenched in his lap as he forced himself to not look Yugi's way at all, knowing that he would not be able to let the boy go.

Seeing Atem's strange, yet loving, display of affection, a small smile of his own made its way to Yugi's face.

"I'll be careful. Don't worry," Yugi said quietly, and hearing his voice Atem turned towards him. He nodded, and as Yugi put his arms though the sleeves of the jacket, he took a glance at Marik who was looking at him intently.

Marik, after meeting his gaze, raised his eyebrows towards Bakura. Taking a look at the vampire that had now gone up to open the hidden door, Marik gave him a nod to which Yugi responded with a blink of his eyes and a slight dip of his head.

Reassuring Atem once more and giving in to the quick hug that the King wanted, he turned around, climbing the stairs after Bakura to see the other already standing at the top, the trap door opened. As soon as Yugi stepped out, his boots crunching the brown patch of grass, he turned back around to Bakura pushing the rock back into place, hiding the entryway. After he was done, he brushed the dust away from his hands and walked up to Yugi. Yugi flinched when out of nowhere Bakura's hand rose up, only to shove the hood over his head.

"The sun, kid," Bakura reminded, and Yugi felt him pat his head once as he covered his head properly to hide his skin as they walked. "Night's approaching and the sun isn't that hot anymore, but I can't risk it. You're still a baby compared to us, and if the hot sun can burn our skin if we're in it for too long, I don't want to find out what it will do to yours if you go under its rays. Atem will skin me alive if you return home looking like fries," Bakura joked, and Yugi found himself scowling up at him as they walked through the forest, feeling the beginning of November breeze that flew by them, hearing the rustling of the branches and taking in the orange, pink glow that the setting sun created upon the area.

"Well, you don't have to constantly call me a baby. I do still consider myself a teenager, you know," Yugi retorted, but Bakura just chuckled.

"Whatever you say, baby," and scowling, Yugi had little time to fight back after he felt Bakura grab his left hand and took off towards the town.

It took them longer than Yugi had expected to get to arrive, and once they did, they walked down the sidewalk, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible as they passed all of the other humans who thankfully took no notice of them. It was cold, so Yugi was glad that he had the thick jacket to keep him warm, and his gloves that he had quickly worn as they neared the place. Bakura on the other hand didn't seem to share his chills, for the white haired vampire had his jacket undone, walking as if he was not feeling the biting cold of the wind piercing through his clothes and attacking him. Rolling his eyes, Yugi gazed around at the small town Bakura had brought him to.

Immediately Yugi noticed the open skies. There were no scarily huge buildings like in the cities, but there were not any ramshackle houses either to say that the town was a poor one. It was, nice. Olden looking, but still very inviting and warm. Yugi found the thoughts of wanting to explore more crossing his mind, only to vanish when Bakura began to complain.

"Atem just had to be picky. He refuses to get his teacups from anywhere else. He only gets his cups from the teashop in this town, and he bloody knows it when we get it from anywhere else. It takes us twenty minutes to get here. Twenty minutes! I can't deal with that!"

"Yeah? Then maybe you and Kaiba shouldn't have broken his stuff. If you hadn't, you wouldn't need to come out and get new ones constantly," Yugi said, and he took a glance up at Bakura to see a not-so-threatening look shot his way.

"Be quiet," Bakura teased, and looking away, a laugh left Yugi's lips as Bakura accepted defeat. However, Yugi found himself biting his lips a moment later as he remembered the reason as to why he had come out with Bakura in the first place.

" _C'mon, just ask him,"_ he told himself for the third time, but yet he could not bring himself to say a single word. It was Bakura! If anyone cared more about Atem's welfare, it was the hard-headed, stone cold guy walking right next to him. Bakura would know every detail, so why was he hesitating? Close to facepalming himself, Yugi jumped when Bakura nudged him.

"Okay, what's up? I know you want to say something, so spill already," Bakura said, looking straight ahead, but Yugi was struggling for words again as he stared up at Bakura.

"H-How did you know?"

"I could smell it," Bakura said seriously, and hearing that, Yugi could feel his face going even paler- the reason as to why Bakura must have busted out laughing seconds later.

"I'm kidding," he said, and his laughter died down before he turned back to Yugi. "No, but seriously. What's the matter? You've been chewing on yourself for the past five minutes."

Frowning, Yugi took a deep breath. He closed his eyes for a second and then reopened them, saying what he had to without hesitating. There was no point prolonging it any further. If he did, he would never know. As for the consequences… they could join him in hell later on.

"What happened to Atem's brother?"

The question made Bakura stop in his tracks completely.

Yugi stopped walking as well and just looked at him after hearing the pin drop like silence. Bakura was looking at him with nothing short of complete shock. His mouth was opening and closing, struggling to ask something, only to then stop and close his eyes with defeat.

What was going on?! Was his question really that much of a surprise?

"I knew you'd ask that sooner or later," Bakura finally muttered, and he continued to walk, hands stuffed deep into his pockets.

"Then tell me. What happened?" Yugi pressed on, his eyes locked on Bakura as he tried to catch up to him.

Not watching where he was going, it didn't take long for Yugi to suddenly bump into an oncoming person. He felt a small tug on his neck as the person hurriedly walked away, and just like that the sharp pressure was gone. He stopped and tried to feel if the necklace was still there, around his neck, and his eyes widened when there was nothing.

"Bakura! My necklace, it's gone! I think it got cut," he exclaimed, and Bakura turned to him, his eyes now wide with worry.

"What do you mean it got cut?! Didn't you put it inside your jacket?!" Bakura exclaimed, and he looked around Yugi's neck to make sure.

"I had it around my neck. I bumped into this person, so I don't know if it got-" he began, and he stopped talking when Bakura held his arm as they went back and retraced their steps. "You don't think it go stuck on that person," Yugi wondered, and at that Bakura shook his head.

"No, I see it," he said, and letting go of Yugi's arm, he went over to grab the fallen silver chain. A small, crystal-like purple gem was hung on to it. The necklace laid on the sidewalk just a short distance away.

Picking it up, Bakura walked over to Yugi who was relieved immediately upon seeing it.

"Why wasn't it tucked into your jacket if you were going to wear it around your neck?" Bakura scolded, and he clicked his tongue when he saw the chain broken. Clasping it tightly, he unzipped Yugi's jacket and tucked it into the breast pocket of the shirt he was wearing before zipping the jacket back up. "You have to keep that crystal safe. It you lose it, then…"

"I know, I'm sorry," Yugi said, and he stuck close to Bakura as they began walking again. "I'll try to be more careful next time," and that was a promise he had to keep.

Throughout his training, Atem, Bakura and Kaiba would not stop stressing to him about how important that crystal was to vampires. To them. The crystal was a powerful source of energy. It was what would keep them alive if they were unable to feed on human blood because its power was equal to drinking human blood once a day.

Kaiba had also told him that as the years went on, vampires started to forget about the power of the crystals because they took human blood whenever they wanted. To other vampires, there was no need for the crystal, so the crystal became something akin to a legend. Luckily for them, Atem was aware of the crystals power. Since they only drank once a year, it was even more important for them to have it on them, and to keep it safe.

"Okay, we're here," Bakura said, and looking up Yugi took in the appearance of the small shop that he was standing infront of. It was a small building, and through the large bay window, Yugi stared in awe at the sight of all the little trinkets that laid inside.

"C'mon," Bakura called, and he opened the door. A little bell above tingled as he did so.

Excited, Yugi entered, and immediately he was hit with the sweet aroma of different teas and the magical sight of the fragile looking glasses that adorned the shelves. It looked as if he was in an ancient looking shop, fit for a royal family of some sort. Who would have thought a tea store could be so enchanting?!

Completely ignoring the old man that eyed them closely as soon as they entered, Yugi followed Bakura into one of the small isles, itching to touch the pretty cups.

"You can choose two or three of them if you like," Bakura said, and Yugi found his eyes widening with happiness.

"Really?" he asked, and Bakura glanced at him and nodded.

"Sure, why not? Atem might like them even more if he knows that you picked them," Bakura explained, and Yugi mouth twisted into a little grin at the truth of the statement. "We only need, six or seven. We can split it. You get three and I can get three."

"Okay," Yugi said, and leaving that isle, he wandered over to the next one. His eyes didn't know where to look first.

They were so pretty whether they were plain or decorated completely, and from what he understood from looking at the King, Atem seemed to find all of them beautiful, especially the antique, English tea cups. Atem would not admit it, but Yugi knew that Atem had his favourite kinds. The ones he liked were brightly coloured, decorated all the way around the cup, inside too, the saucers matching perfectly as well which would make the entire thing seem too elegant and delicate looking to drink _blood_ from.

Scanning the rows, his eyes eventually fell on a cream coloured one that was rimmed with a shiny, gold coloured design. It was pink and gold actually, the pink roses mixing with a darker pink and a pastel coloured blue flower that added some more colour to the cup. Seeing the saucer behind it, Yugi immediately decided to take that one. The saucer was pink, outlined with the same intricate gold design that was on the cup. And since Atem's favourite colour was pink, the King would surely love it. Grabbing an unopened box that held the cup nice and tight inside, Yugi moved on to find more. This, this was fun.

A gasp left Yugi's mouth when he came across what seemed to be his second pick. The blue, almost aqua coloured cup just popped out at him, and it too had a gorgeous gold design around the edge, the handle curving elegantly, the saucer, not flat, but rounded on the edge. The saucer was white, lined with the gold design.

"Ah, this is perfect!" Yugi exclaimed, and he turned around when he heard Bakura's voice from the other isle.

"Found anything?" Bakura asked, and as Yugi grabbed the unopened box, he nodded, smiling widely.

"I think I now understand why Atem loves this so much. Why doesn't he come himself?" and he stopped when he heard Bakura laugh loudly.

"He used to come here a lot! But, he's been banned for the past three years now because he stayed the entire day once, refusing to leave when the man had to close shop." Yugi bit his lip when he heard the man at the front grumble, leaving them alone after Bakura brought up what seemed to be a horrible memory for him.

"Aww," Yugi said, moving to the other isle, and Bakura chuckled.

"Quite sad."

Yugi rose a brow.

"You say that with sarcasm? Is it a good thing Atem doesn't come anymore?"

"Oh yeah. He not only drove the owner crazy, but us too. Really… I get that they're nice, but spending days here? Please. That's crazy."

Yugi chuckled. Turning his head back to the rack though, he found himself stopping once again when he came across a small table, a tea set display gathering dust in a spot where no one could really have noticed it. Yugi stared in awe, and gently he picked up a cup and admired it.

"Hey, Bakura. Do you think Atem would like a new tea set?" he asked, his finger gliding over the cream coloured glass with two flowers, white and red, that was surrounded by a shiny, gold design. There were six tea cups in total, all of them sitting on a platter that matched, while in the middle sat an elegant tea pot that had the same design. He could also see the little pots that maybe held the sugar and milk behind it. Putting the cup down, Yugi glanced around, and finally found it. The box that held the last set.

"What did you- oh," Bakura said, stopping behind Yugi as he noticed the set as well. Looking up at him, Yugi watched as Bakura scratched his chin before taking a look at the boxes that Yugi had picked. A grin broke out on his face. "You… You got a good eye. I think Atem will kill us for sure if we happened to break those," he said, and Yugi looked over to see a violet coloured cup and a yellow one in Bakura's arm.

"Those are pretty too," Yugi said, staring at them, and he held the two that Bakura had in his arms as well after the vamp gave them to him before kneeling down next to the medium sized box on the lower shelf.

"It's not too expensive…" Bakura trailed off, and he grabbed the box from under there and held it tightly in his hands. "Each of those are thirty, and this set is one hundred and forty. Not so bad," he stated, but Yugi's eyes almost rolled out of his sockets.

"Thirty dollars for one of these cups!?"

"Yeah, quite cheap actually," Bakura continued, mostly to himself, and he started to walk over to the cashier while Yugi followed him, shocked. Cheap? How was that cheap?!

"How are you going to pay for this?" Yugi asked as Bakura rang the little bell on the desk, and he found himself at the end of the funny look Bakura gave him.

"Duh, we pay for it. With money." Bakura then paused and blinked in slight disbelief. "How did you think we got around?"

"I don't know," Yugi muttered, and he turned back to Bakura. "Where do you get the money from? You guys don't really work for it, so…"

"Oh, we know some vamps in the right places," Bakura answered, giving him a wink, and at that Yugi oohed quietly, not asking or wanting to hear the explanation of what Bakura meant by that.

He waited patiently as Bakura paid for the cups, all of them reaching an amount that had Yugi's head spinning, and then they left. Bakura handed Yugi the two, small bags that held the four cups and a box of tea that he had also picked up. Bakura held on to the set that really needed two hands to hold. The bell jingled above them as they left, their shopping done. By the time they were finished though, all they had to use the hood for was to hide their appearance.

The darkness of the night was already upon them.

* * *

 **Hehe, so, how was that?! I really liked it, and I hope you all did as well. Especially that bit about the teacups and stuff. Ahh, after looking at some pictures on Google, I think I want to start a collection too! They're just so pretty so I think I might had droned on a bit for too long about it! :D Anyways, enough of me. How did you all like the chapter? Is more explained? And don't worry, Yugi's question gets answered next chapter, and another character, or two, gets introduced! Can anyone guess who it is?**

 **Please review! And thank you for reading. :)**

 **Bye~**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey everyone! Thank you all so much for the gorgeous reviews. And, I'm very sorry for the month long delay. I was in the process of doing a non-fanfiction related writing that I hope would be successful. Anyways, the story is going really well so far, and I hope to see that it continues to grow in the future until the end.**

 **For this chapter I've decided to switch it up a bit. :D We'll have some Bakura POV this round, but don't worry. Many things will come to light. For sure I would love to read what you all think about the story that will unfold.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

A Vampire's Kill

Chapter 6

* * *

Their surrounding was pitch black when they re-entered the forest. Walking slowly, calmly, Bakura inhaled deeply, breathing in the sharp, cool air with the tinge of iciness in it while embracing the howl of the wind and the sound of the tree branches grazing together softly. Opening those rosewood coloured eyes of his, a slight hue of green sparkling in them, he brought his attention down to gaze at his smaller companion. Yugi was staring at the grass, his hood down, ever so quiet.

Bakura sighed internally, his eyes looking away as they walked. He did not forget the boy's question earlier, and from the looks of it, Yugi had not forgotten either. The awkward silence was proof of that. Sneaking another look at the boy, he saw Yugi holding the bags tightly, eyes turned towards the pieces of sky and litter of stars that were seen through the trees.

What was he to do? Atem had forbidden them from speaking about the incident, and everything before then. On the other hand though, they had not been very good at keeping it a secret. They brought it up many times without thinking, and Yugi had obviously heard them. That was why they had this problem to deal with now. Yugi really wanted to understand what was going on. An explanation was the least they could give in return, especially after what Atem had done to Yugi to soothe the ache he was still going through.

Making up his mind, Bakura clenched his eyes.

"His name was Yami," Bakura just said, his voice soft, and he could hear the hitch of surprise that left Yugi's mouth.

Glancing at him, Bakura exhaled softly at the sight of Yugi's wide, curious eyes before he continued.

"He was Atem's little brother, by just one hundred years, and Yami was Atem's life. The reason Atem lived, you could say."

Silence.

"What happened to him," Yugi then asked, voice just above a whisper, and at that Bakura shook his head sadly to himself.

"He died. Yami was murdered by Atem's own clan." He glanced back down at Yugi. "That was why Atem left. Yami was killed before his own eyes and he couldn't do anything. He couldn't stop them."

"Is that why he turned me then? Because I reminded him of Yami?" Bakura heard the soft question, and numbly he nodded. It was the truth after all. Why deny it?

As soon as he and Kaiba saw Yugi's resemblance to Yami, they knew that Atem was not going to let the boy go. It was a miracle Atem even returned the child back to his home all those years ago.

But, he was foolish too. He did not see the boy's resemblance until it was too late. Or, maybe he had noticed, but a foolish part of him thought a cure for Atem could be found in the little boy.

Just when they thought Atem would never see Yugi again, Yugi returned to them. After the struggles Atem went through during those years, it got worse when he reunited with the boy. And it was then they knew things would be different. Kaiba tried warning Yugi to turn back. Even he tried stopping Atem. They tried warning Atem before he turned the boy, but that too was clearly in vain. No matter how much they were against it, Atem's decision could not be stopped. Atem did not even realise what he was doing. The thought of turning an innocent boy into one of them did not dawn on him until after the deed was done, while it was clear to everyone else that Atem was just holding on to someone who could not come back.

It was part of the reason for the arguments. They feared that Atem had retreated into a hollow darkness that they could not rescue him from, and it was a hole that only got deeper as the years passed on. It was hard to notice about the King at first glance, but after some time in his company, anyone could sense that something was horribly wrong.

"Trust me, Yugi, if you can." He looked back at the boy who was snapped out of his own thoughts. "We didn't want him to turn you."

"But Atem did. And in a way, I guess I can understand why," Yugi told him, and Bakura looked into the boy's watery eyes. They held nothing but empathy. "I really do understand, but in the end, isn't he just hurting himself even more? By holding on to me he's not going to get past Yami's death. How will he heal?" and Bakura found himself chuckling. That caught Yugi's attention.

"Why are you laughing? Aren't you concerned?" Yugi asked, and Bakura struggled to stifle the laughter that was slowly getting the best of him. It was funny. Very, very funny that Yugi thought it was that easy.

"Yugi, Atem has gone far from being healed," he said, and the boy's brows furrowed.

"Are you saying that he can't be healed?"

"How can he? You think he'll just let you go?" Bakura smirked and shook his head. "It isn't that simple to make him let go, Yugi. Not anymore."

"Why not?" Yugi yelled, and Bakura stopped walking. He turned back to look at the accusing glare that had now appeared in the child's eyes, and Bakura could not stop a scowl from making its way on to his face.

"You're here now to forever remind him. That's why we tried to stop him. We knew it would get worse. But, it's not only that. Even before, Atem had enough time to get over Yami's death. He got his vengeance, what else does he possible want?"

"Vengeance?" Confusion crossed Yugi's face.

"Yes, vengeance. The day Yami died, Atem slaughtered half of his clan before disappearing. Kaiba and I," he tsked. "We spent thirty years looking for him. When we finally saw him, Yugi," Bakura hands clenched. He could feel anger, pity, hatred… All of the emotions he felt that day rising up within him as he recalled.

"What?" Yugi urged, and Bakura just spat it out with disgust.

"When we found Atem, he was broken, nothing but a cheap reflection of who he once was." Bakura's gaze went back towards Yugi who was stunned, his eyes impossibly wide. "I'm sure you're put off by his behaviour now. You think he's strange and odd and very much insane, but if you had met him during his rule, you would think a lot worse of him."

"I don't understand," Yugi said, and Bakura didn't hesitate to explain.

"He was crazy," Bakura stated, and Yugi's eyes snapped towards him, the look of disbelief written all over his features.

"What do you mean he was crazy?"

At the question, Bakura felt his chest tighten and his skin, his insides, started to boil as conflicted anger rose up within him. Not crazy. Crazy did not describe Atem back then. It still did. He still was crazy. Just a different form of crazy, one that left him feeling absolutely mortified and filled with nothing but despair that crashed into him whenever he saw the King, whenever he looked at him, whenever Atem said a single word because none of it was him. Not anymore.

"Bakura?" Yugi pressed again, but Bakura quickly cut him off, pulling himself from the depressive thoughts that just made him want to beat Atem until he regained his senses, returned to normal. But, how normal? He hated both the past, and the current Atem.

"We killed people, Yugi," and when the shock diminished from the boy's expression, Bakura stepped before him and stopped him in his place, glowering down at him with his eyes ablaze. "We killed them. Atem killed them. We killed people every single day with no rest. We were a blood thirsty clan," and seeing the sign of fear edging its way towards consuming Yugi, Bakura smirked and let out an amused laugh.

"Atem was being humble back there. He wasn't some unimportant King that no one paid attention to much. Do you know who he was?" and when Yugi shook his head numbly, Bakura continued. "He was _**the**_ King. He was, and still is the _**true**_ King of the vampires. And he, he was a King like no other."

Staring up at the sky as he proclaimed the truth to a world that was deaf, Bakura's gaze threatened everything and everyone. And damn, did it feel so good to shout it out after holding it in, after fearing what the new Atem would do to him if his feeble attempt at a shield received nothing but a little crack by Bakura's words. He spun back towards Yugi, his chest heaving to see that the boy had stepped closer to him, worry and concern replacing his fear.

"I still remember it, that day when I was nothing more than a petty assistant to some no good noble, standing there like some helpless dog just awaiting orders. I hated every fiber of my being for having to withstand such humiliation, until the day my former master dragged me along to one of those meetings with the King. And there, there was where I saw Atem for the first time and watched with awe as those excuses for _Kings_ stood up and bowed without a single sound, faces holding nothing but respect with a tinge of contempt and jealousy. I watched as he waltzed in, his feet as if on air, and to see him command those Kings that were twice his size shook me to the core with admiration. So naturally, after the meeting was over, I dropped that assistant nonsense and just left, spending a total of four, five years on the run with the goal of finding Atem's clan the main thing on my mind."

Bakura sighed, but however, as more thoughts surfaced, he couldn't help but clench his fists once more and scowl before looking back towards Yugi.

"When I got there though, I was left with the feeling of anger when I learned that Atem was seemingly no different than the other nobles. I found out that he was considered irrational and wild, senseless, blood-driven, and demonic more than anything else. A cocky smirk was what he wore and his flaming red eyes only intensified that insanity his being radiated."

Bakura's eyes closed, and he let out a deep, suffering breath before he went on, his voice slightly hoarse.

"Although his commanding tone and graceful, royal, tendencies awed me, I didn't like him. Even though my mind bubbled over with excitement when I was appointed his personal bodyguard, advisor, chief or whatever professional name they called me, that anger was still there."

"But if you hate him, why are you here with him? Why are you almost… protective?" the child asked, and Bakura turned towards Yugi to see the sorrow, pity-filled gaze. However, at the question, Bakura could not stop himself from smiling sadly, turning away from Yugi's intrigued eyes as the memories, the wonderful memories, surfaced.

"Since I was so near to him, practically all the time due to my position, I started to notice things. I slowly began to understand the reason as to why I felt Atem, setting aside his craziness, was so different from the other Kings."

"Why was that?"

"It was because he had Yami with him. I started to see how he lived his personal life, and frankly I found it quite interesting." Bakura let out a laugh, and turning to Yugi he saw a tiny grin of amusement on the boy's face. Whether it was because of him or what he was saying, he would never know. "Atem was and still is demanding. He's troublesome, stubborn, arrogant, but he's not selfish as I had initially thought. He loved to talk, and he laughed during the worse possible times. Yami was the one who would scold him endlessly, tease him, make him go red in the face with anger and embarrassment, and Atem would say nothing. He would sit there and take it all with a hilarious frown."

"He's not really like that anymore, is he?" Yugi mumbled, and Bakura shook his head.

"No. Only Yami was able to make him behave like that. While the other King's went insane themselves, Atem would regain his sanity because of that impish little brother of his. Only Yami was able to bring Atem back down from the high of blood and power. And seeing that, their interactions with each other was what sparked a new interest for me in his clan again. He… it seemed as if he turned into this completely different person."

Bakura went on.

"When Atem wasn't out blindly fulfilling the needs of his clan, trying to keep his title as the greatest King, he was doting on Yami. Any time he had for himself was immediately given away to Yami. Feeding him, cleaning up after him, scolding him when necessary, the teases, jokes, the pure sound of joy and laughter coming from the mouth of such a _scary_ person…" Bakura trailed off. "The rest of the clan believed Atem to be ruthless, but I was finally able to understand." Another, warm smile made its way on to Bakura's face before he went on, leaning against a tree, dangling the big bag in his hand.

"Atem, so caught up with Yami, would drop everything. He would run up to Kaiba and me and ask in this excited tone as to what he should get for Yami's birthday. Atem would wake up sometimes and just stare out at nothing, mumbling about Yami. Once," and Bakura chuckled, "he spent three hours just talking about all the things he wanted to do. All the things he loved. He spoke to Kaiba and me about everything he couldn't share with the rest of the clan. Of course, Kaiba would sit with him because he knew of Atem's human-like personality before I did. They are cousins after all. I can still remember standing there, watching with that same feeling of awe, watching as he rolled around on his bed, too excited to sleep. He was so different. I guess that's why Kaiba and I do anything for him. He's kind of, precious."

He heard Yugi sigh, and eventually, the boy spoke. "Isn't it a good thing though? Atem, the part he was hiding from everyone, it's out in the open. He can be himself."

"No," Bakura suddenly growled, and immediately Yugi stopped talking. "Atem had the largest vampire clan that ever existed. He was at the top, and he was the true King. Hiding that part was what made him special. He hid it because he knew he had responsibilities to fulfill as the King. He had a clan to take care of, and that childish side of him had to be put away. He had that control over himself, dammit. He knew he couldn't be that way and that was how it always was. That was what made him who he was and there was a balance. But that… that person with us now…" Bakura's voice broke and shuddered, and he took a gulp, staring directly at Yugi.

"That isn't him, Yugi. And it frustrates me because we can't tell him that. Kaiba and I… that's what we were fighting about last night. I was trying to figure out a way to snap him out of the shell he built and get his life back together, but no. Kaiba wants to keep him that way. He's convinced Atem's fine. He's happy. Like hell he is!" Bakura knew he was pacing, but at the moment he couldn't care.

"I still don't understand," Yugi muttered, and he sunk down to the ground, the bags held before him.

Bakura eyed him carefully, and taking a couple of deep breaths, he too took a seat infront of the boy. The distress was evident on the Yugi's features. His explanation was all over the place and it only confused him. Maybe he should have waited. He should have discussed it with Kaiba's help. Kaiba was always the more organised one of the two of them. Yet, he couldn't stop now. If Yugi went home looking as if he had the world's issues on his head, Atem would get concerned and then what would he do? How will he explain?

"The thing is, is that when Yami died, Atem threw his responsibilities out the window. The balance in his life was shaken up. He was shaken up," Bakura started carefully, and he continued to breathe, trying not to let emotions get the best of him this time.

"He killed his clan in despair. Not rage. His world shattered, and to deal with it he ran away."

"But why did the clan do that?" Yugi asked. "Why did they kill Yami?"

Bakura sighed and shrugged helplessly. "It was because Atem vanished for a month."

"Wait, he left for a month? Why?" Yugi then asked, and Bakura gave him a stern look which clearly told him to let him continue to speak. Yugi fell quiet.

"I don't know. He didn't tell Kaiba or I anything. He just upped and left, returning a month later. When he did, he told the clan that they won't kill humans like they used to anymore. They will eat once a year, and to help sustain themselves, he brought the crystals to help."

"You mean, these?" Yugi asked, and he pulled out his own violet one that was tucked away in his jacket. Bakura nodded.

"Yes. The crystals are one of a kind, and can only be created using the blood of the clan leader. The crystals help to keep us alive, basically. As we've told you previously, it's equivalent to drinking human blood. Since the other clans eat whenever they please, they don't need it. But since we're restricted, we do. I'm sure that a lot of vampire's don't even know of the crystals existence, since they all eat like maniacs."

Yugi oohed.

"Well, if Atem put that as a rule, the other vampire's…"

"Yeah, they didn't like that. They rebelled. Yami… the kid didn't even know of the new rule. He was away for two months on a hunting trip, and when he came back, the trap they had set for Atem was set on Yami instead. You know, even to this day, Atem didn't tell us why he changed to those rulings." Bakura shook his head, "Doesn't really matter now anyways. Atem's word is law, whether we understand or not."

"But yeah, as I was saying earlier," Bakura continued with a wave of his hand. "After Atem ran away, we finally found him after thirty years of searching. And what we saw, we were far from happy. We found Atem hiding underground, the same hole we live in now actually. Back then it was smaller, just big enough to fit three or four people. Atem was there, locked away just awaiting death. He was killing himself slowly. He denied himself blood, which caused his skin to go blue. He was shaking, shivering, miserable… He would have died there even though the crystal he had struggled to keep him alive."

"Does he blame himself for Yami's death?" Yugi asked, and Bakura nodded.

"Somewhere inside of him, he still does. That's why he locked himself in that ridiculous shell. He wants to hide from it, and Kaiba is too stupid to see that. Atem's suicidal thoughts have diminished over the years, but he's not better. That's why he's latched on to things that Yami liked, would have approved of him doing instead of behaving like an animal. He cares about clothes, eating well, being good, and acting normal and human even though he isn't any of those things."

"And the cups?"

"Yeah, even these silly things."

Bakura looked at him, and offering a hand the two stood up. "So please, Yugi. Don't be offended by his behaviour. After all the searching Atem was doing, he found Yami in you. I'm not telling you to let him do what he wants. Yami had a backbone too, you know. I just want you to understand why he's that way. It's strange, but he's broken. He thinks that by having you around, he'll heal. We know what it's actually doing to him, but what can we do?"

"Don't worry," Yugi said, and he looked into Bakura's eyes with reassurance. "I do understand. I know Atem isn't all bad. It was just… confusing at first for me. I was brought into this type of life by Atem, and yes, I was angry, but how long can I be angry for? I can't go back to my former self, and really, I have nothing to complain about ever since I've been with you three. You've all taken good care of me, so…" and the boy trailed off uncomfortably, but that was enough.

Patting Yugi on the head, Bakura grinned.

"I'm just glad," Bakura said simply, and he stood, pulling Yugi to his feet as well. "Just, don't go telling anyone about it just yet. Atem, he didn't want us saying anything to you, nor does he even want to hear about the events of the past." Bakura cringed. "He still reacts badly to it, so try not to say anything concerning Yami, okay?" Although the reply was delayed, Bakura's heart lightened once Yugi finally answered.

"Okay. I promise."

They continued the walk towards the familiar clearing without a single word, each of them in their own thoughts as they got closer and closer, the night getting darker and darker. Glancing down at the bag in his hands, Bakura let out a silent sigh and stared ahead. Forever anxious, he couldn't help but wonder as to whether or not he did the right thing by telling Yugi of the past events. The boy had the right to know, but what if it slipped and Atem found out? Kaiba wouldn't spare him, not that he was concerned, but it was Atem's reaction that worried him. It had to stop though, and even though he couldn't admit it, a part of him knew that Yugi would be the key in completing Atem.

Pushing the rock and throwing back the trap door, Bakura stepped down the stairs, hearing Yugi's soft footsteps grazing against the stone steps. The faint light of the night disappeared after Yugi closed the door, and the grumble of the earth a bit as the stone was put back in its place. Bakura stared into the living area, the torches already lit, and his gaze fell on Kaiba who was laying down on the couch, arms under his head as he stared up at the low ceiling. The brown haired vampire's head turned towards their direction, however his gaze jumped Bakura and fell directly on Yugi.

"Did you have fun, Yugi?" Bakura heard him ask the boy behind him, and he saw that Yugi passed him and stepped forward, a smile on his face.

"Yes. We found so many vintage-looking teacups. I just know that Atem will like them," Yugi excitedly explained, stepping back as Kaiba sat up to stare at the bags in his hand.

"Really?"

"Look for yourself."

Rolling his eyes, Bakura turned on his heels and walked into the kitchen. He dropped the bag on the kitchen table and hastily began to remove the large box from within the plastic bag. Hearing the sound of ruffling plastic from the living area behind him, Bakura could feel his skin heating up with anger. Kaiba… pretending like nothing happened? Okay with everything? It was infuriating.

"Heh, these are actually pretty," he heard Kaiba say, and Bakura's nose flared. With an angry smack against the table with his fist, Bakura clenched his eyes shut before reopening them. When they did, he stormed out of the kitchen and stopped to shoot an ugly glare down the hallway.

"Atem!" he shouted. "Come see your cups. Yugi picked them out," and he returned back into the kitchen. When Atem didn't show up, his head spun around and shouted again, hands clutching the edge of the table. "Atem!?"

"I am coming," Atem's voice called back a second later, and the next moment Bakura turned to see Atem entering the kitchen after giving Yugi, who was still talking to Kaiba, and now Marik, a glance. Atem was buttoning the sleeves of his black shirt, jacket under his arm. "I did not know you were back already. I was showering," he explained, and Bakura watched as a small grin appeared on Atem's face as his crimson eyes lit up slightly after seeing the box.

"Is this it," Atem said, and he stepped forward, dropping the jacket on the spotless table to drag his finger across the edge, his eyes widening upon seeing the image printed around the box. Bakura nodded, forcing a little smile of his own.

"A new tea set. Yugi picked it out," he explained, and they both looked at Yugi as the boy entered, setting the other boxes on the table.

"Really? You picked them?" Atem asked in disbelief, and Bakura cringed at the sound of his voice. Atem deserved to be happy, yes, but not when he was throwing out his responsibilities in the process.

"Yeah, I did! I picked out these two, and the set. Bakura picked out the other two and he got some tea," Yugi explained, and hearing the boxes being ripped open, eliciting a chuckle from Kaiba, Bakura turned around and left, ignoring the curious look he received from Marik who stood at the entrance.

"Bakura?" he heard Marik say, and feeling the other grab his arm, Bakura shrugged it off and shot him a glare.

"Piss off," he hissed, and at the tone his arm was immediately released. Marik went back to turning his gaze towards the others, and glancing at Atem who was already grabbing them all and preparing to store them away in the little cabinet. Bakura shook his head and stalked to his room without another word.

* * *

 **Oh my goodness. The length of this is crazy, huh? But, I like it, I think. I hope you enjoyed it as well! I am wondering if the information Bakura gave to Yugi was confusing, or too much to handle at once. I know, it's still early on in the story, but I just wanted to clear some things up and help the flow along a bit more. And, another thing. How did you find Bakura? Was his POV alright? Was it enjoyable? Do you want to see more of him and other POV's? Please, I would love to know!**

 **Anyways, thank you all for reading. Please leave a lovely review. You know how they make my day. :)**

 **Bye~**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello~~ It feels great to get back to this story! And as always, I apologise for the severely long wait you all had to go through for this story. Really, I desperately want to see it completed, so I will try to work hard and give you a wonderful story.**

 **I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for all the love and support you've given me. Your reviews really do encourage me to continue because I see that you all enjoy it. This story is nowhere close to being a failure, so surely we shall reach the end someday soon.**

 **Please, I do hope you all like this chapter. We finally meet a set of characters that will surely bring some familiarity and friendliness. :)**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

A Vampire's Kill

Chapter 7

* * *

Buttoning the last cuff of his black shirt, Yugi looked up with a start as the door to his bedroom creaked open. He was hardly surprised to see that it was Atem who poked his head through the gap, watching him with that impish smile that seemed so innocent and devilish at the same time.

"Are you ready?" Atem asked, and Yugi stared as the self-exiled King entered, appearing even more dashing and mysterious than ever.

"Yes," Yugi answered cautiously, and he could not hide the raised brow as he looked at Atem. Grabbing his coat from the bed, he murmured, "Aren't you a bit overdressed?"

Atem was donned completely in black. He wore his favourite jacket- the one that went all the way to his thighs with the big hood. The hood was already thrown over his head, framing his face nicely, and since the jacket was undone, Yugi was able to see the elegant black shirt and the neatly pressed black pants that were shoved into his shoes. The small heels of his boots tapped against the floor with each step Atem took to get nearer to him.

He really did look like a glittering Prince.

Atem's own eyes widened by his question, and Yugi watched as Atem turned his gaze towards his outfit, curious.

"Am I? This is my usual outfit. Though, I may have added some extra accessories… and changed a few things," Atem muttered to himself. He fiddled with his crimson gem that he chose to wear around his neck, mind aflutter as he tried to find a proper reason for Yugi's words.

Despite himself, Yugi allowed a smile to appear on his face. Atem could be so clueless sometimes. If the other was a human, he might just have been someone he would have liked to get along with.

" _What am I thinking?!"_ Yugi immediately halted his thoughts. He felt sick to the stomach. Only a year had passed and he was completely submissive to the vampire that turned his whole world upside down. Atem killed his mother. Everyone he knew was gone because of the ones he was currently living with. He shouldn't want to be their friends. He should be furious. He should want revenge! But, he wasn't angry.

He was really nothing but helpless. He could not go back to being human. There was no way for him to go back to being human. What option did he have? On his own he knew he would never survive. Or, was he just lying to himself? Was he giving in to his bloodthirst and urges? For all he knew he was becoming just as cold hearted as the vampires.

No. That wasn't right too. It wasn't true! He understood that now. All vampires were not cold hearted. Kaiba and Bakura proved that to him already. They cared for Atem severely, and Atem loved Yami more than anything in the world.

Yugi clenched his teeth hard, his eyes drilling holes into the floor as the confliction tore through him.

"What's the matter? You're making quite an ugly face," Atem suddenly asked, and Yugi's head spun towards him. His mind went blank for a few seconds. He was unable to move his face and change it from the frown it wore, but after some mental effort he managed to shove the depressed look away and give Atem a little smile.

"Oh, it's nothing. Nothing," Yugi said, but Atem continued to look at him some more. He could see that something was bothering the boy, but if Yugi did not want to tell him, there was no point forcing it out of him. It would only widen the space between them, making sure that he never caught a glimpse of a cute smile he desperately wanted to see for a change.

Turning away with a sigh, Atem nodded slowly.

"If you say so."

"Ah, we should probably get going. The others must be waiting for us," Yugi said, changing the subject by using a lighter tone, and Atem glanced at the clock that hung on the wall. It was after ten.

"Yes. It is dark already," Atem agreed, and with that, he stepped back and ushered Yugi with an arm to walk ahead of him before following closely behind.

As Atem shut the door, Yugi turned and started walking down the hallway and towards the sound of voices coming from the living area. His eyes immediately caught sight of Bakura who was leaning against the kitchen entrance, hands shoved deep into the pockets of his long jacket. Upon taking a closer look at the white headed vampire though, Yugi's eyes widened with surprise. Bakura's unruly hair was, for once, combed and smooth, tied up into a little ponytail that seemed to suit him quite well.

He and Bakura locked gazes as soon as he entered the living room with Atem, and Yugi gave Bakura a thumbs up for the style, forcing a genuine smile and pushing back the dark thoughts. Bakura responded to his thumbs up with confusion, but he quickly realised what Yugi was referring to because he grumbled and looked away with slight redness on his face. Yugi giggled lightly at the display. Thank goodness Bakura was in a somewhat normal mood. Ever since they had gotten home from the tea store, he had been nothing but cranky.

"It's about time!" Marik exclaimed as soon as they stepped into the room, and turning his head towards the couches, Yugi saw the bleach blond vampire stand hurriedly, expressions of relief and anxiousness crossing his face.

Yugi watched Marik with interest. Marik seemed… jumpy for some reason. Uncomfortable even. Why was that? As Kaiba stood up slowly and cast a look their way, Yugi quickly figured it out.

Kaiba was wearing the most serious and cold face he had ever seen. Of course, it was normal for Kaiba to look quite unapproachable, but the look he had on right at this moment was nothing short of venomous. What was the reason for that? Recognition dawning on him again, Yugi turned to look at Bakura once more, finally taking notice of the poker-face look the other secretly wore.

Yugi inwardly sighed. Were the two still not speaking to each other? Looking at the situation, it was very likely. However, it was also plain to him that the tension between the two was having an undesirable effect of Marik. Always friendly, Marik must have surely tried to douse the flames, only to get burnt himself. And for that, Yugi could only blame himself. The situation was partly his fault after all. He unconsciously poked at Bakura's source of troubles, and now the vampire was still bristling after reliving the memories Yugi forced out of him.

For as long as he knew them, Kaiba and Bakura fought together about Atem and all the issues surrounding the King. It was clear that they both cared for Atem greatly, but that was where part of the problem laid. They cared for him in different ways, and their opinions were clashing tremendously.

From his understanding, Yami's death caused Atem to fall into a state of self-blame. Atem was so shocked by his brother's death that after some time in isolation, he blocked the memory out completely. A barrier, a shell, was what they called it, and as time went on, the bigger the shell got. And now, due to Atem running away and deciding to ignore the situation and the memories, he started to change, and neither Bakura nor Kaiba could agree as to whether the change was a positive one or a negative one. Kaiba insisted that the change was good because Atem seemed happier and more at peace, while Bakura was sure the change was horrible because he was just running away from his problems and letting the whole Vampire Kingdom fall into unworthy hands.

"Are you ready?" Atem asked them, and startled, Yugi looked up when Atem took his hand, holding on lightly. Yugi ignored it. The thought of resisting Atem's hand left his mind since all he could now feel was empathy weighing heavily on his heart.

What was he going to do? The problems were driving a wedge between the three, and the misunderstandings were only getting bigger and bigger as the days passed.

Yugi shut his eyes briefly, feeling the odd warmth of Atem's hands. It only made him feel sicker on the inside. Was Atem noticing the change in behaviour of his most loyal subjects and closest friends, or was he completely oblivious to the changes like Bakura said?

"We were just waiting on the both of you," Kaiba went on to explain, and Yugi watched as the blue-eyed vampire slipped on his shoes before removing his coat from the closet.

"Well we're done now. Let us head out then," Atem informed, and as Kaiba and Marik went up the steps, Atem stopped and turned to Yugi, watching the boy carefully.

Yugi removed his eyes from Kaiba and Marik's retreating backs to return the stare, a bit hesitant because he quickly spotted the familiar look of overwhelming concern in the crimson eyes. He gulped, feeling the nervousness Atem's intense gaze suddenly, always, brought him. He had to remind himself though. Atem was only holding on to him because he reminded him of Yami. Yugi could only see it as a moment between the two brothers that Atem could only long for.

It was clear to him that it was getting out of control. Atem's feelings for Yami were getting stronger. Maybe Bakura was the one who was right.

"Yugi, what's wrong?" Atem asked softly, and his hands went up to rest on Yugi's shoulders.

"Nothing's wrong," Yugi said quietly, stiffening at the touch, but Atem did not look convinced.

"Are you afraid?" Atem whispered.

"Afraid?" Yugi echoed, and Atem nodded.

"Does the thought of taking your first human frighten you?"

At that, Yugi had to pause. He had forgotten the reason they were going out. They said that he needed human blood, and soon, or else he would grow weak. Now that the thought crossed his mind, he quickly realised that he did feel nervous. His stomach started doing flops, and images of Atem and the others feeding made an appearance in his memories. Would he actually have to kill a person to survive? Was his life more important than someone else's?

When Yugi did not respond, Atem got his answer. He sighed and let out a small smile, brushing Yugi's cheek in a reassuring way with his thumb. Yugi's purple eyes returned to him at the touch.

"Do not worry," Atem soothed. "I understand that it may be a bit difficult at first, but everything will get easier. I will be there. I will help you, so do not worry. I promise that everything will be alright."

Even though he was still unsure, about everything, Yugi nodded. He took Atem's hand when it was offered to him, and together they left the room. He turned around when he felt a hand on his head, only to see Bakura giving him a comforting blink. Yugi forced a smile before returning his gaze to Atem who blew out the torches one by one as they made their way up the steps.

As Yugi's head popped up from under the ground, he was immediately met with a strong, cool wind, and utter darkness. He smelled the freshness of the autumn air as he stepped out, and the sound of his boots crunching on the yellowed grass freed the weight on his shoulders. When his eyes adjusted themselves, he looked up through the bare branches where he could see the faint glow of the stars, the moon nowhere in sight.

"We can go to a town I know pretty well," Marik started to say, and Yugi's attention returned once more to them, watching as Bakura closed the trapdoor and pushed the rock back into place with Kaiba's help. Seeing the exchange, some hope returned to him.

"Where is it?" Atem asked from beside him, and Yugi wore the gloves Atem handed to him. It was not that cold, but still Atem was insistent on him wearing them.

"It's somewhere in the North-East direction. Not too far. It has been a long time since the clan had hunted there, so it should be fine to go for a second round," Marik explained.

"Is that such a good idea? If the clan has hunted there before, surely it must be deserted. How can we trust this fool?!" Kaiba spat, and at the term Marik scowled helplessly. Much to Kaiba's astonishment however, Atem agreed with Marik.

"I think it should be fine," Atem stated firmly, and Kaiba zipped his mouth, crossing his arms angrily. Yugi blinked. There was no way Kaiba would argue with Atem's tone like that. It didn't stop him from complaining though.

"I do not understand why you trust him so easily."

"Just let it be," Bakura spoke up. "What's the harm in going? If it's deserted, we can find elsewhere."

"I am not going to waste my time. Besides, Yugi needs to feed as soon as possible. We cannot afford any unnecessary delays," Kaiba argued.

Hearing them bicker about him, Yugi hid behind Atem, the thought of feeding hitting him like a boulder once more. Atem must have sensed his fear because he squeezed his hand encouragingly, giving him another small smile.

"Enough now. We will follow Marik and see what is left," Atem said.

"I'm pretty sure the town is still there. It was just a small group of us that had gone the first time anyways. We didn't rampage like idiots. I managed to keep some under control, you know," Marik said, but his enlightenment did nothing to ease Kaiba's suspicions.

"Whatever," Kaiba muttered after a while of silence and having everyone watch him. That was what let them know he gave in.

Now that that had been solved, Yugi turned to see what kept Bakura quiet. The white haired vamp was standing still, facing the deeper part of the forest. His brown and green-hued eyes scanned the trees intently with a serious expression on his face. It was as if he was searching for something.

"Bakura," Atem called to let him know they were leaving, but Bakura lifted a warning hand instead, his forefinger out.

"Wait," he said sharply, and immediately everyone stopped. Bakura did not remove his gaze from the trees.

"What is it?" Atem questioned, and as he started to approach Bakura, he too suddenly stop as well. His eyes widened, and Yugi watched as Atem looked in the direction Bakura was gazing at with just as much severity.

"What is going on?" Kaiba muttered, looking at them, and Atem shushed him as well.

"Can you feel it?" Atem whispered to them, and after a moment of confusion, they too seemed to catch on. Kaiba and Marik started looking around, senses on high alert.

Yugi glanced at the four, completely unsure of what was going on. None of them made a single sound. Instead, they were listening and watching the surroundings carefully.

He always knew that vampires had many special abilities. One of the common ones was speed. They were also gifted with exceptionally good looks to attract promising humans to feed on. But, they also had good eyesight and just as good hearing.

As for the ability of being able to transform into bats… Atem explained to him that it was a skill that got lost through the generations. It was very common at the beginning of the vampire era, but died out as the vampires evolved.

Yugi was a turned vampire. Since he hadn't drunk human blood yet, many of his abilities were still in their early stages. That was why he could not hear or sense whatever it was the other four were picking up on. However, that did not leave him completely in the dark. Although his vampire senses were still dormant, his human senses that he still carried had an idea and were working overtime. His heart was pounding rapidly and he was starting to feel very uneasy. It felt as if someone was watching him, but not quite. He could feel someone _coming_. _Something_ was coming, but _what_?

"Werewolves?" Bakura suddenly whispered with surprise, and Yugi looked up with a start, watching as Bakura and Atem's eyes met warningly.

"How is that possible?" Kaiba snapped, and he spun around, looking at Atem and Bakura who continued to glance around themselves.

"There are werewolves in this forest?" Marik asked, hushed, and Yugi found himself thinking the same question.

He had a suspicion that werewolves too existed since he was pretty much open to anything existing after being turned into a vampire, but he had never come across one living in the forest. Bakura and Kaiba had told him that the forest was all theirs, and never brought up werewolves before. If that was the case, then why were they sensing the presence of werewolves now? Each species is supposed to stick to their own territory, or something like that.

"Actually," Atem started, and hearing the voice laced with a hint of guilt had all eyes turning towards him once more. "The werewolves used to occupy a part of the forest when I first came here. I remember vaguely sensing them, but after some time I did not feel them around anymore. I assumed that they moved because of my presence."

Silence.

"Then are they back for their territory?" Bakura wondered warily.

"According to what Atem told us, it is very likely," Kaiba said. He turned back to the others. "Now the question is, what do they want? Surely they can smell our presence as well. They are known for their extraordinary nose."

"Oh, we definitely can. And thank you for the compliment."

All eyes turned around after hearing a woman's voice, and instantly they locked themselves on the owner. A tall, blonde woman dressed in a long black dress, the straps hanging off her shoulders as she glided from within the trees towards them. She had purple eyes that bore into theirs, and at her side was a man with blond, shaggy locks of hair and honey coloured eyes.

"What are you doing here?" Kaiba immediately hissed, and Yugi watched with wide eyes as the blue-eyed vampire took a few steps toward the two newcomers. Atem pushed Yugi behind him with an arm, and from there Yugi watched as the two stopped where they stood after seeing Kaiba's violent reaction.

While the blond man stepped back once, the woman's eyes just widened with amusement and excitement.

"Don't worry. We're not here to cause problems." This time it was the man who spoke, stepping forward after findings his bearings. He tried to get the woman to step back, mostly so that she could not cause a scene, but she pushed him aside and took up a proud pose.

None of the vampires were amused, Yugi noticed.

"Yes. No problems," the woman agreed, and she crossed her arms, looking at them all one by one. Yugi felt an odd chill run up his spine when her eyes landed on him briefly before returning them to Kaiba. "We just wanted to meet the vampire's we sniffed out as soon as we arrived."

"My name is Joey, this here is Mai," the man, Joey, finally said, and he put a hand on Mai's shoulder with a shaky, slightly worried, smile.

"Why do you want to meet with us?" Bakura asked, and he looked quickly in Atem's direction for approval. Atem nodded once, his eyes stuck on the two with thorough awareness.

"As you can no doubt already tell, we're werewolves. Not right now, obviously," Mai joked. "This is our human form. I don't think it would be fair to have you speak to us in our wolf form."

"Get to the point," Atem snapped, and at that the woman's laughter ceased. She smiled instead, looking at Atem keenly.

"We're just here to remind you that since the forest initially belonged to the werewolves, we have all right to be here and occupy it again with our pack," Mai started to explain.

"We have no intention of causing any harm or trouble to you," Joey continued, "nor will we try to drive you away."

"Our den is just on the East end of the forest," Mai said, pointing in the direction they came from. "Again, we just came to let you know of our purposes. We will stay out of your way if you stay out of ours. Is that alright?"

Atem nodded, lips tightly pressed together.

"Good," Mai sang cheerfully.

The more Yugi glanced at Mai, the more uneasy he felt. Was Mai just really confident, or was she so strong that she had no issue speaking to them, vampires, in such a manner. She was toying with them, no fear whatsoever. Really, that frightened him quite a bit. Even the others seemed to be at unease by her behaviour. Joey on the other hand was friendly enough. He did not behave in a way that would make Kaiba or Bakura or even Atem want to keep a close eye on for any sneaky behaviour.

"We hope that we all can share the forest peacefully. Times have changed. We believe that there shouldn't be a cause to resort to needless violence between our two species," Joey said quietly.

After hearing that, the hand that was wrapped around Yugi's slackened just a bit.

"I agree. I promise you that we will cause no harm to you or your pack without reason," Atem stated resolutely, and Joey smiled, bowing his head slightly at hearing the definite tone. Mai too did the same.

"Of course, Your Majesty," she whispered, and Yugi immediately felt Atem's body go stiff.

Yugi looked up and quickly he saw the disturbed look that crossed Atem's face. Kaiba and Bakura too were surprised, but since they were already at a loss with the newcomers, they were unable to say anything. He knew it though. Something was definitely fishy about them. How could they have possibly known Atem was the King?

"We'll take your leave," Joey said, and with that, the two turned and left. Yugi watched with curiosity as they transformed in the darkness, taking off without another glance.

Silence echoed around them until the last crunch was heard in the far distance, but still neither of them moved. They just watched the darkness, and Yugi could see the confusion and worry the new _neighbours_ created with their arrival. Now the issue was going to be about what and how to deal with them. The werewolves vowed to stay their distance, and the vampires promised the same as well. However…

"We can't trust them," Bakura said firmly.

"They know where you are," Kaiba continued.

"If word was to get out that you were here…" Marik went on, and at that Atem looked up, eyes seemingly glowing underneath the hood as he thought deeply.

He finally spoke.

"We have no choice but to wait and see," Atem said, and he looked at Marik steadily. The expression told them that the matter was done for now.

"Let's go."

Marik gave Atem a single nod, and just like that he took off. They all followed behind closely without another word, swerving through the forest with the swiftness of a small bird.

Yugi gripped on to Atem's hand, trying his best to keep up with the King's speed. He could see him. He could see those red eyes glazed over with thought, and Yugi felt a little pang in his chest as he watched the conflict continue within those orbs. He could not imagine what Atem was thinking. Having the werewolves know about him was risky. Like Marik said, if word got out, it would be almost impossible to run away from the vampire nobles.

After all, each one them wanted nothing more than Atem's head, and his crown.

* * *

 **Ah~ There we have it. I hope this was a good chapter after the months of waiting. It took me a long time to get the chapter to the point where I was content. xD I really do hope it was enjoyable, and that you liked the appearance of Mai and Joey. Also, I hope that it was smooth to read, and that things seemed to be okay. Really, I don't know why this chapter bugged me so much.**

 **Oh, and I'll also say this now, since some lines in the chapter may be interpreted differently. There is NO puzzleshipping. Trust me. This is not a romance fic.**

 **I thank you all deeply for reading, and please, do review! I have planned the story out until chapter 15 (as of now), so if you want to see quick updates, please review and send me some love.**

 **Thank you again.**

 **Bye~**


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